A total of 28,084 farmers in the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) are awaiting a payment from the scheme from the Department of Agriculture.
This is 10,000 more farmers than the 18,600 farmers that the Department had deemed to be impacted by the delay in payments back in December.
Farmers in the west and northwest of the country are most impacted, with 3,744 farmers in Mayo yet to receive a payment under the scheme, while 3,670 farmers in Donegal are awaiting payment as of 18 January 2024.
A further 3,562 farmers in Galway have yet to receive their payments under the scheme and 3,130 farmers in Kerry have received no money to date under the scheme.
The figures were revealed by the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue in response to a parliamentary question from Independent TD Violet-Anne Wynne this week.
A total of 17,415 farmers have received their ACRES payments, the minister outlined.
“ACRES payments commenced on 15 December 2023, with a total of €76.5m issuing to 17,145 participants in the ACRES general stream.
“ACRES general payments will continue over the coming weeks as applications are processed (queries resolved, validation checks passed, etc),” the minister said.
Due to the additional complexity associated with the co-operation project (CP) stream, payments to ACRES CP participants will begin to issue this in February 2024, he said.
“Everything is being done by my officials to expedite payments to participants who clear validation checks. It is not my intention to pay interest on such payments,” he said.
Payments to farmers in the CP stream are worth on average €5,500.
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A total of 28,084 farmers in the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) are awaiting a payment from the scheme from the Department of Agriculture.
This is 10,000 more farmers than the 18,600 farmers that the Department had deemed to be impacted by the delay in payments back in December.
Farmers in the west and northwest of the country are most impacted, with 3,744 farmers in Mayo yet to receive a payment under the scheme, while 3,670 farmers in Donegal are awaiting payment as of 18 January 2024.
A further 3,562 farmers in Galway have yet to receive their payments under the scheme and 3,130 farmers in Kerry have received no money to date under the scheme.
The figures were revealed by the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue in response to a parliamentary question from Independent TD Violet-Anne Wynne this week.
A total of 17,415 farmers have received their ACRES payments, the minister outlined.
“ACRES payments commenced on 15 December 2023, with a total of €76.5m issuing to 17,145 participants in the ACRES general stream.
“ACRES general payments will continue over the coming weeks as applications are processed (queries resolved, validation checks passed, etc),” the minister said.
Due to the additional complexity associated with the co-operation project (CP) stream, payments to ACRES CP participants will begin to issue this in February 2024, he said.
“Everything is being done by my officials to expedite payments to participants who clear validation checks. It is not my intention to pay interest on such payments,” he said.
Payments to farmers in the CP stream are worth on average €5,500.
Read more
Over 18,600 farmers hit by delay to ACRES payments
ACRES delay: farmers under financial pressure to pay bills - Cairns
Birdwatch Ireland 'concerned and disappointed' over ACRES payment delays
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