Advance payments in respect of participation in the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) in 2023 commenced in December 2023. By the end of February 2024, 19,719 farmers had been paid a total payment value of €88.4m. However, when it became apparent that additional time would be required to pay the remaining participants, I arranged for nationally funded interim payments to be made to those participants who had not received their advance payment. Payments of €4,000 were made to General participants and €5,000 to Co-Operation participants. It should be noted that payments totalling just under €208 million issued to 44,780 ACRES participants by early March 2024.
My Department commenced balancing payments on the 19th of June. To date, payments have been finalised for 36,410 farmers. Further pay runs will follow in mid-September and at the end of September. At the time of issuing interim payments, farmers were notified that their finalised 2023 payment would be netted against the interim payment.
To date, of the interim payments finalised, 6,975 herds have been identified as having an overpayment and those with an overpayment greater than €100 have been notified. This figure is likely to change as further balancing payment calculations are finalised.
Farmers have been advised of repayment options. To date, €695,000 of overpayments have been discharged in full by 372 herds, while 860 ACRES participants have requested that the overpayment be deducted from their next ACRES payment. I do not hold figures on the number that have agreed to offset the payment against the next ANC payment.
