Advance payments for participation in Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) in 2024 still have to be made to 1,483 farmers, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed.

Of these 1,483 farmers, 396 are also awaiting their balancing payment in respect of 2023, as that must be paid before the 2024 advance payment can be made to them.

The department said that advance payments, in respect of participation in the agri-environmental scheme in 2024, were made on July 11 to 63 participants, with those payments amounting to €250,870.

This payment run brought total 2024 advance payments to just under €225.7 million, paidto 52,497 farmers, or almost 98% of all ACRES participants.

DAFM said that "advance payments in respect of 2024 will continue to be made weekly to ensure timely payments to the remaining participants once their contracts are cleared for payment".

Balancing payments in respect of participation in the scheme in 2024 commenced on May 15. The most recent payment run of July 11 paid out €36,420 to a further 94 participants.

This brought the total paid in balancing payments in respect of 2024 to almost €38.7million, to 51,160 participants.

The department said that this means that almost 95% of all participants are up to date with payments.

Balancing payments, in respect of participation in the scheme in 2023, were made on July 11 to 64 participants, with those payments amounting to €63,771.

This brought the total paid in respect of participation in ACRES in 2023 to €248.7 million,paid to 44,304 participants, or 99% of all ACRES tranche 1 participants.

A total of 396 farmers have yet to receive their final payments for 2023.

Of these, 118 have already received an interim payment of either €4,000 or €5,000, respectively.

DAFM said that "in many instances, this will cover the entire amount of the payment due".

"Processing of these cases continues, and payments are being made on a weekly basis tothose participants whose contracts have been cleared during that period," the department added.

A total of €513.2 million has now been paid to date (Monday, July 14) to ACRES participants.

€264.35 million is in respect of participation in the Scheme in 2024, while €248.7 millionrelates to participation in 2023.

The issuing of advance payments in respect of 2024 commenced in November 2024, inaddition to the continued issuing of the balancing payments in respect of 2023.

Balancing payments in respect of participation in ACRES in 2024 commenced in mid-May 2025.

The department said it is continuing to progress the contracts awaiting final payment in respect of 2023 and/or advance payment in respect of 2024, with those being the more complex cases.