Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 March 2026
711. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the next tranche of the ACRES will open for applications, specifically in relation to new entrants and farmers who were unable to access the previous intake; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17149/26]
View answerThe Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) is the flagship environmental scheme provided under the 2023-2027 CAP Strategic Plan, with €1.5 billion in Exchequer and EU funding allocated over the course of the scheme. As the number of participants in the Scheme, at just under 54,000, is already in excess of the original target capacity of 50,000, the scheme is at full capacity. There are at present no plans to open any further tranches for new entrants into the scheme.
It should be noted that the regulations require that commitments must be undertaken for a minimum of five years, meaning that the remaining time period of the current CAP would not be sufficient to allow new entrants.
