A number of farmers are still waiting on Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) payments for 2023, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has confirmed.

According to Minister Martin Heydon a total of 106 farmers across the country are waiting on payments.

Wicklow Social Democrats TD, Jennifer Whitmore, had asked the minister to provide details of the delay in payments under the ACRES scheme for 2023 on a county by county basis.

Minister Heydon told the deputy that there are currently just under 53,600 participants in ACRES.

"About 99.8% of those eligible for payment for the 2023 scheme year have been paid, while almost 97% of active participating herds are fully up to date with payments, including advance payments in respect of participation in 2025," the minister said.

ACRES

He said in relation to outstanding 2023 scheme cases payments had not yet issued "because the legalities following death of the contract holder have not been finalised to date". 

"Payment runs are currently scheduled on a weekly basis," Minister Heydon added.

The following table represents the number of farmers waiting on an ACRES payment in relation to scheme year 2023.

Separately the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has revised some of the terms and conditions for the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES).

In a circular issued to ACRES advisors yesterday (Thursday, February 19), the department said the changes will apply to both tranches of the agri-environmental scheme.

Among the changes is an update to the penalty schedule in relation to 'priority actions' which farmers may have committed to undertake in order to secure a place in the scheme.

"As all valid applications for ACRES were accepted for both tranches, the prioritisation of applications on basis of the actions submitted therein was not required," the document stated.