All 9,000 applicants secure place in ACRES tranche two

Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue said that the level of interest shown by farmers in ACRES since its launch has "been hugely encouraging in terms of farmers' engagement with environmental action". 

All applicants to tranche two of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) will be accepted into the scheme.

By securing places for all 9,000 applicants into the second tranche, this is one of the largest agri-environment schemes that has been run in Ireland, with 55,000 farmers now facilitated to participate.

Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue said that the level of interest shown by farmers in ACRES since its launch has "been hugely encouraging in terms of farmers' engagement with environmental action". 

ACRES is the Government’s flagship agri-environmental scheme, with an allocation of €1.5bn over the period to 2027 aimed at facilitating the participation of 50,000 farmers in targeted environmental action over five years. 

Last year, in response to the exceptional demand for places, more than 46,000 farmers were admitted under tranche one of the scheme. 

Environmental action

When the second tranche of the scheme closed for applications in December 2023, a further 9,000 applications had been received.

"The ambition of farmers had to be recognised and so I engaged with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to explore all options to facilitate farmers," Mr McConalogue said.

"This week, following further meetings between our two departments, I was delighted to reach an agreement with Minister Paschal Donohoe that all applicants to tranche two can be accepted into the scheme. 

"This is tangible, quantifiable delivery for the country and will mean that an additional area of approximately 100,000 hectares will be brought into meaningful environmental action."

The Department of Agriculture said it will be in touch with all tranche two applicants in due course in relation to their participation in the scheme.

IFA welcome

Irish Farmers' Association president Francie Gorman has welcomed confirmation that all valid tranche two ACRES applications will be accepted, and that there will be no impact on overall payment rates.

"This is a positive move by the department. Given our climate ambition, leaving farmers out would have sent the wrong message," Mr Gorman said. 

IFA rural development chairman John Curran said that ACRES has been a "complex and difficult" scheme to administer, but "the important thing is that all 9,000 applicants know where they stand, and they didn’t incur costs pulling together plans for no reason".

“With all the weather-related challenges and shortage of raw materials (especially native trees and hedgerows) to meet ACRES action deadlines, there may well need to be more flexibility and innovation from our department officials,” Mr Curran added.