Pressure is building on advisers to get ACRES plans submitted as the deadline of 21 November fast approaches.

The Irish Farmers Journal understands that there are in the region of 4,000 applications submitted to date and another 11,000 in progress. Another 15,000 applications must be completed if the 30,000 places available are to be filled by the deadline.

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said at a meeting in Donegal on Tuesday night that the tight timeline for applications was “unavoidable”. He told farmers that he is monitoring the situation closely.

Agricultural Consultants’ Association (ACA) president Noel Feeney said: “We are all under pressure because of the deadline and, unfortunately, we aren’t going to get to all our clients.”