Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, has confirmed today (Tuesday, December 10) that the balancing payments under the 2024 eco-scheme have commenced.
The commencement of the eco-scheme balancing payments will bring the total paid under the 2024 eco-scheme since October to €289 million, with 113,625 farmers now in receipt of a payment.
From today, €84.6 million will issue to farmers as their eco-scheme balancing payment.
Minister McConalogue said: “I am pleased to confirm that balancing payments under the eco-scheme, worth €84.6 million to 109,853 farmers, have commenced today.
“The aim of Ireland’s eco-scheme is to reward farmers for undertaking actions beneficial to the climate, environment, water quality and biodiversity. Eco-scheme payments are a vital support to recompense farmers who partake in this valuable work.
“The eco-scheme balancing payments commencing today constitute the 30% remaining following the 70% advance paid in October.” he added.
Payments should be visible in farmers’ bank accounts in the coming days, and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has said it will continue to process, as a matter of urgency, all remaining cases for payment as they meet scheme criteria.
“I would urge any farmers with outstanding requests for documentation from the department to return same in order to allow payments to issue,” the minister added.
Farmers wishing to contact the DAFM regarding their eco-scheme, Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS), Complementary Redistribution of Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS), Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers (CISYF) or Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) payments can call the Direct Payments Helpline at 057-8674422.
Farmers can also submit any queries they may have online the agfood portal.
The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is a partnership between society and agriculture aimed at ensuring a stable supply of food, safeguard of farmers’ income, protection of the environment and keeping rural areas vibrant.
EU countries implement the CAP at national level with a tailored CAP Strategic Plan for the period 2023-2027. The eco-scheme is funded by the EU under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027.