More than 12,000 farmers still awaiting Acres payments
Minister Martin Heydon said he had instructed officials in the department to issue regular online updates over the coming period on the progress being made.
Over 12,000 farmers are still awaiting their advance payment for 2024 under the agri-climate rural environment scheme (Acres), but agriculture minister Martin Heydon assured the Dáil he is determined to resolve the issues.
He also told deputies during a debate on the importance of agri-food to the Irish economy that the cohort awaiting payment include 2,764 farmers who have still to receive their balancing payment from 2023.
While they did receive an interim payment last year, Mr Heydon said he acknowledged the significant frustration and challenges for those farmers who have not received clarity or who are awaiting payment.
“Farmers are a resilient group and, like a lot of good businesspeople, they can deal with most things that are thrown at them when they know what it is they are dealing with and when they know the timelines and impediments. That is what we must resolve,” he said.
Mr Heydon said balancing payments in respect of farmers’ participation in the scheme in 2024 will commence as scheduled in May. He was determined that most outstanding payments will be resolved by this point, with the most complex cases finalised in June at the latest.
“This includes advance payments of €182m to 42,128 farmers in respect of their participation in the scheme in 2024. This figure represents just over 78% of all farmers in Acres,” he said.
Mr Heydon said several issues are affecting payments. These include instances where farmers have applied to transfer their contracts, issues with the submission of scorecards for the results-based payment, and the completion of outstanding IT functionality.
“Where the impediment is on our side in the department, if extra resources are needed, I am very clear that they will be found. We will do everything we can to get this addressed as quickly as possible.
"Payment runs are taking place fortnightly, and every case that gets cleared goes in for the next payment run within that 14-day period.
“It is vital that farmers' confidence in Acres is restored with permanent solutions found to these issues so that they do not arise again in future payment runs,” he said.
Mr Heydon said he had instructed officials in the department to issue regular online updates over the coming period on the progress being made.
Sinn Féin TD Martin Kenny noted the minister's recognition of the frustration farmers have — particularly with Acres — and the significant problems that exist, which are far from resolved.
He said he recognised the minister’s commitment and that he hopes and expects to have a lot of this sorted out by June, and that it will not happen in the future.
For most people, though, this has been the experience with every scheme that governments have continually brought out.
“This is not new. Every time a scheme is brought out, it is difficult, onerous, and hard to comply with and slow to get paid. That is what happens with farmers every time.
"There is a big job of work to be done in the Department of Agriculture to ensure there is a sea change in respect of all that,” he said.
