Some 4,680 farmers are still waiting to be paid an advance Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) payment for 2024 - money which was due to be paid into their bank accounts last November.

Just 37 farmers were paid in the most recent payment run which went to bank accounts on Monday 9 June, with those payments amounting to €151,000.

Of the 4,680 farmers waiting on an advance payment for 2024, 837 are also awaiting their balancing payment in respect of 2023, as that must be paid before the 2024 payment can be made to them.

Balancing payments, in respect of participation in the scheme in 2023, were also made on Monday to 112 participants, with those payments amounting to €91,130.05.

Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has said that all cases, in respect of 2023 and advance payments for 2024, will be paid by the end of June.

Sources within the Department of Agriculture are increasingly confident that all advance payments for 2024 and all payments for 2023 will be cleared by the end of the month.

Reasons for delay

The issues which are affecting the making of payments in respect of each year are, primarily, according to the Department, contract and ownership or partnership issues, issues with scorecards and the alignment of ACRES data with 2024 BISS information.

On the Department's side, it said that it is actively resolving the remaining issues in relation to IT functionality.