The latest Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) payments update released on 7 July recorded payments totalling €529,214.34 paid to a total of 543 participants last week. The payments were sanctioned across farmers waiting for 2023 payments, 2024 advance payments and 2024 balancing payments.
The Department reports that a total of €512.8m has been paid up to 7 July with this broken down to €264.1m in respect of 2024 scheme participation and €248.6m relating to 2023 payments.
There is over 2,500 participants awaiting payment with a high percentage of these being balancing payments in respect of 2024. The payments breakdown is detailed below for balancing payments in 2023, advance payments for 2024 and balancing payments for 2024.
2023 balancing payments
Balancing payments for participation in the scheme in 2023 were finalised for an additional 54 participants last week (20 in general stream and 34 in ACRES Co-operation). Payments totalled €56,965.90. The Department reports that this has brought the total paid under the 2023 scheme year to over €246.8m paid to 44,240 participants, or 99% of all tranche I participants.
It adds that a total of 460 farmers have yet to receive their final payment for 2023. Within this, the Department reports that 182 have received an interim payment of €4,000 or €5,000, with the remaining 278 participants awaiting their full payment.
2024 advance payments
An additional 40 participants received payments amounting to €167,104.72 in respect of their 2024 advance scheme payment (85% of total due). This payment run has brought total 2024 advance payments to over €225.44m paid to 52,434 farmers, or almost 98% of all ACRES participants.
There is still 1,546 participants to receive advance payments across tranches one and two. This includes the 460 farmers highlighted above in the 2023 balancing payments category, with payment required here before 2024 advance payments can be made. The Department reports that 2024 advance payments will continue to be made on a weekly basis to “ensure timely payments to the remaining participants once their contracts are cleared for payment”.
2024 balancing payments
The most recent payment run on 4 July 2025 included payment of €305,143.72 to a further 449 participants in respect of their 2024 balancing payment (15% of total payment). Total payments stand at €38.6m paid to 51,066 participants. This equates to almost 95% of all participants having received their full payments due meaning there is in excess of 2,500 farmers to receive their balancing payment.
Complex cases
The Department states that outstanding payments in respect of 2023 and/or advance payments in respect of 2024 are more complex cases to finalise. It states the primary issues affecting the sanctioning of payments include:
Contract and ownership / partnership issues.Issues with scorecards (incorrect score, scorecards not submitted, alignment of scorecards with data from the Basic Income Support for Sustainability Scheme (BISS).Alignment of ACRES data with 2024 BISS information. “The Department is actively resolving the remaining issues through, for example, the development of the required IT functionality and the investigation of issues associated with specific contracts. The non-submission to date by participants, or by their ACRES advisors on their behalf, of certain returns also impacted on the making of advance payments to them in respect of 2024. Farmers and advisors are encouraged to submit, as soon as possible, any outstanding documentation that will allow the Department to progress and complete their claims in the coming weeks”.
In response to a query from the Irish Farmers Journal regarding incorrect payment amounts issued to participants the Department said; “The Department is aware that, in a limited number of cases, payments may have been calculated incorrectly. These cases are being investigated and reconciliations will take place where appropriate. No action is required on behalf of any participant”.
The latest Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) payments update released on 7 July recorded payments totalling €529,214.34 paid to a total of 543 participants last week. The payments were sanctioned across farmers waiting for 2023 payments, 2024 advance payments and 2024 balancing payments.
The Department reports that a total of €512.8m has been paid up to 7 July with this broken down to €264.1m in respect of 2024 scheme participation and €248.6m relating to 2023 payments.
There is over 2,500 participants awaiting payment with a high percentage of these being balancing payments in respect of 2024. The payments breakdown is detailed below for balancing payments in 2023, advance payments for 2024 and balancing payments for 2024.
2023 balancing payments
Balancing payments for participation in the scheme in 2023 were finalised for an additional 54 participants last week (20 in general stream and 34 in ACRES Co-operation). Payments totalled €56,965.90. The Department reports that this has brought the total paid under the 2023 scheme year to over €246.8m paid to 44,240 participants, or 99% of all tranche I participants.
It adds that a total of 460 farmers have yet to receive their final payment for 2023. Within this, the Department reports that 182 have received an interim payment of €4,000 or €5,000, with the remaining 278 participants awaiting their full payment.
2024 advance payments
An additional 40 participants received payments amounting to €167,104.72 in respect of their 2024 advance scheme payment (85% of total due). This payment run has brought total 2024 advance payments to over €225.44m paid to 52,434 farmers, or almost 98% of all ACRES participants.
There is still 1,546 participants to receive advance payments across tranches one and two. This includes the 460 farmers highlighted above in the 2023 balancing payments category, with payment required here before 2024 advance payments can be made. The Department reports that 2024 advance payments will continue to be made on a weekly basis to “ensure timely payments to the remaining participants once their contracts are cleared for payment”.
2024 balancing payments
The most recent payment run on 4 July 2025 included payment of €305,143.72 to a further 449 participants in respect of their 2024 balancing payment (15% of total payment). Total payments stand at €38.6m paid to 51,066 participants. This equates to almost 95% of all participants having received their full payments due meaning there is in excess of 2,500 farmers to receive their balancing payment.
Complex cases
The Department states that outstanding payments in respect of 2023 and/or advance payments in respect of 2024 are more complex cases to finalise. It states the primary issues affecting the sanctioning of payments include:
Contract and ownership / partnership issues.Issues with scorecards (incorrect score, scorecards not submitted, alignment of scorecards with data from the Basic Income Support for Sustainability Scheme (BISS).Alignment of ACRES data with 2024 BISS information. “The Department is actively resolving the remaining issues through, for example, the development of the required IT functionality and the investigation of issues associated with specific contracts. The non-submission to date by participants, or by their ACRES advisors on their behalf, of certain returns also impacted on the making of advance payments to them in respect of 2024. Farmers and advisors are encouraged to submit, as soon as possible, any outstanding documentation that will allow the Department to progress and complete their claims in the coming weeks”.
In response to a query from the Irish Farmers Journal regarding incorrect payment amounts issued to participants the Department said; “The Department is aware that, in a limited number of cases, payments may have been calculated incorrectly. These cases are being investigated and reconciliations will take place where appropriate. No action is required on behalf of any participant”.
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