The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has been asked to “urgently” open a round of the Green Low Carbon Agri-environment Scheme” (GLAS) by a Fianna Fáil TD.
TD for Longford-Westmeath, Robert Troy, asked Minister McConalogue if he will “urgently open a round of GLAS to accommodate the 14,000 farmers who have not been able to apply to the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) but were part of GLAS in previous years”.
In response to Deputy Troy, Minister McConalogue said: “GLAS is closed and may not be re-opened, as there is a new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in place for the period 2023-2027.”
According to the minister there is no “real difference” in the number of farmers who will participate in ACRES compared to the numbers who were in the final year of the GLAS.
Minister Charlie McConalogue said “just over 46,000” farmers participated in the final year of GLAS while 46,000 farmers have been accepted into ACRES for 2023.
“The government has committed €1.5 billion to ACRES over its duration with the aim of facilitating the participation of 50,000 farmers. Like GLAS, intake into ACRES is being phased, with at least two tranches,” the minister said.
“Farmers who were not in a position to apply for Tranche 1 of ACRES will have an opportunity to apply for the scheme in Tranche 2.
“It is proposed that Tranche 2 will open for applications later this year with contracts in that Tranche to commence from January 1, 2024”.
All successful applicants to Tranche 1 of ACRES have received their formal approval letters for the scheme.
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil TD for Limerick County, Niall Collins, has also asked Minister McConalogue if ACRES would reopen “later in 2023 for applications”.
“Tranche 1 is now closed for applications. It is proposed that Tranche 2 will be opened for applications in the fourth quarter of this year,” the minister said.