Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 December 2025
209. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has enough funding to pay farmers in the different agricultural schemes the money they are owed before the year end 2025; and given his Department’s payments and budget, whether he envisages a shortfall in any scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68178/25]
View answerMy Department's gross voted allocation for 2025, including capital carryover, is €2.172 billion. In addition, my Department also received a Supplementary Estimate allocation of €98 million to address funding shortfalls for TB and ACRES. This brings the total voted gross allocation for 2025 to €2.270 billion.
Within this, the allocation for livestock schemes is €131.7 million, with a further €295 million allocated to ACRES.
In addition my Department also makes EU scheme payments totalling in excess of €1.25 billion to Irish farmers.
My Department is fully committed to making payments to farmers under the various schemes at the earliest date possible and to paying the maximum number of farmers possible. This commitment to farmers is evidenced in the very high payment rates achieved across all schemes over the last number of years in respect of both Exchequer and EU funded schemes.
The timelines for all schemes, including the planned payment dates are outlined in the Farmers' Charter.
Payments under a number of schemes, including the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme and the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and Complementary Redistribution Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS) are well underway, having commenced in September and October respectively.
In addition payments under the ACRES scheme commenced recently, while payments under the Beef Welfare Scheme 2025 commenced Monday (1 December).
Payments under all schemes will continue on an ongoing basis as further cases are cleared for payment.
