A total of 6,700 farmers in the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) are awaiting payments owed to them.

The latest run of payments on 29 April 2025 saw 930 farmers paid their 2024 advance payments.

Some 1,292 farmers are waiting on a payment from 2023.

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Balancing payments, in respect of participation in the scheme in 2023, were made on 25 April 2025 to 335 farmers, with those payments amounting to €285,650.90.

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Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Carlow farmer Joseph Nolan said he has been on the Department of Agriculture’s case since last November and has lobbied local TDs.

“I’m owed around €3,800, after a penalty I incurred,” Nolan said.

“We have tried to pull out of ACRES this year because we’re fed up of it, it’s just not working for us.

“We were told if we leave the scheme we’ll have to pay back any money we’ve received so far. There’s no walking away from it. I’ve been in a lot of schemes over the years and this is the only scheme I’ve ever had a problem with,” he said.

“We had a penalty for an overclaim on one of the options to fence off a riparian buffer zone.”

Monaghan farmer Jason Quigley said he is owed €5,800 from 2024.

“I’ve rung the Department once or twice and they’ve said that there’s glitches in the system,” he told the Irish Farmers Journal.

“The Government is able to send millions all around the world for different causes but they can’t look after Irish farmers.

“It’s not good enough for farmers who might sell a few weanlings and then you’re depending on your scheme payments in the backend.

“I’m 38 in August and you can see the decline in young farmers. Would it be any wonder why people wouldn’t want to farm when you can’t get your money when you’re owed it.

“I should now be getting my balancing payment for 2024 and I haven’t even got the advance payment yet,” he added.