Ruairí Ó Murchú
Ceist:1667. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline any plans there are to streamline ACRES; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32108/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 23 July 2024
Ceisteanna (1667)
Freagraí scríofa
The Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) is an environmentally ambitious agri-environment climate measure which forms part of Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023-2027.
The Scheme has been designed to deliver significant long-term environmental improvements through participation by a significant number of farmers on the most appropriate land, with each making a strong improvement on their farm. Its design was informed by lessons learned and experience gained from previous agri-environment schemes such as the Green Low-carbon Agri-environment Scheme (GLAS), the Results-Based Environment-Agri Pilot Project (REAP) and locally led projects under the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) initiative.
Given the diversity of the Irish landscape, there are two approaches within the Scheme, namely:
• ACRES General - available nationally (outside of the high priority geographical areas defined for the ACRES Co-operation approach), and which offers a range of actions for individual farmers, and
• ACRES Co-operation - available to farmers with all or part of their holdings in defined high-priority geographical areas (‘zones’), which will offer results-based payments for actions appropriate to their zone as well as bespoke farm and landscape actions.
Eight project teams were selected for the management of the Co-operation approach in each of the eight co-operation zones to support farmers participating in the Scheme in their respective areas, and to develop a local action plan - including non-productive investments and landscape actions - for their particular zone to improve the delivery of biodiversity and water quality protection. As the Scheme has been approved as part of the CSP, it is not proposed to make any changes to the overall design. €1.5 billion has been allocated to ACRES over the duration of the Scheme to facilitate the participation of 50,000 farmers. Just under 55,000 participants were ultimately approved into the Scheme, over two tranches, in response to the level of interest demonstrated by farmers to participate in it.
Significant IT development was necessary to accommodate such numbers, the two approaches and a range of actions, both prescriptive and results based. It is essential for information and tracking purposes that the relevant systems are integrated in order to assess performance and also to ensure the accuracy of payments. My Department has endeavoured to make the application and claim process as streamlined as possible, and there is ongoing engagement with CP Teams, ACRES advisors and farm bodies in relation to the implementation of the Scheme.