Payments to farmers under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme have commenced.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon has today (Wednesday, September 17) confirmed that advance payments totalling €183.2 million have issued to 86,985 farmers under the ANC scheme.

"Payments commencing today is a significant milestone achieved and is in line with dates agreed with the Farmers’ Charter," the minister said.

“The ANC scheme is crucial to farm families, and I know the importance of getting payments out to applicants as quickly as possible.

“Payments will be visible in farmers’ bank accounts in the coming days, and my department will continue to process, as a matter of urgency, all remaining cases for payment as they meet scheme criteria.”

In line with last year’s arrangement, the payments currently issuing are an 85% advance payment on the ANC Scheme.

The 15% of balancing payments are due to commence in early December.

Not all applications are currently cleared for payment under the ANC scheme.

Regular pay runs will continue in the coming weeks to ensure cleared cases are processed for payment as quickly as possible.

Farmers are urged to submit any outstanding evidence in support of their application to the department’s Portlaoise office as soon as possible to facilitate the early release of payments. 

Minister Heydon also confirmed that his department is on track to facilitate payment of the 70% advance under the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS), and Complementary Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS) from October 16, and payments under the Eco-Scheme from October 23.