How much did the department pay out on schemes in 2024?
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has published its Annual Report for 2024, outlining the work it carried out in 2024 across various programmes.
The work of the department is divided into five policy areas, referred to as 'Strategic Goals'.
These are:
- Strategic Goal 1 - Policy and Strategy;
- Strategic Goal 2 - One Health One Welfare, Food Safety, Animal and Plant Health, and Animal Welfare;
- Strategic Goal 3 - Farm/Forestry Sector Supports and Controls;
- Strategic Goal 4 - Seafood Sector;
- Strategic Goal 5 - Corporate Development.
Farm schemes and support measures come under the third of these goals, and that section of the new report, which was recently laid before the Oireachtas, outlines the department's expenditure in this area in 2024.
The figures can include payments for scheme applications in prior years and processed in 2024.
The highest amount of 2024 scheme expenditure was on the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and the Complimentary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS), with some €842 million paid in 2024.
The second-highest figure was for the Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES), at €342.76 million.
The Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) Scheme saw payments totaling €242.5 million in 2024.
Other significant expenditure amounts were for TB and brucellosis compensation (€64 million); the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) - excluding bioenergy payments - (€55.4 million); and the Fodder Support Scheme 2023/2024 (€51.66 million).
The scheme payment levels outlined in the report can be seen in the table below:
| Scheme | Applications received (2024) | Applications processed (2024) | Payments made (2024) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BISS/CRISS | 123,632 (eligible) | 119,225 | €842 million |
| ANC | 103,000 | 97,252 | €242.5 million |
| ACRES | 9,193 (in addition to 45,222 from Tranche 1) | 42,075 received payments for 2023 and 39,826 for 2024 | €342.76 million |
| TB and brucellosis compensation | 6,254 (herds restricted) | 7,467 herds paid (including multiple payments in same restriction period) | €64 million |
| BSE compensation | 8 | 8 | €19,000 |
| Scrapie compensation | 1 | 1 | €56,000 |
| Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme | 16,328 (active participants from 2023) | 14,943 | €47.84 million |
| Beef Welfare Scheme | 23,720 | 23,132 | €19.98 million |
| CSP Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme | 13,541 | 7,612 | €4.73 million |
| Investment Aid for Commercial Horticulture | 147 | 122 | €8.6 million |
| Organic Farming Scheme | 974 | 4,468 | €46.3 million |
| Scheme of Organic Grant Aid | 32 | 12 | €1.32 million |
| TAMS (excluding bioenergy) | 15,486 | 17,214 | €55.4 million |
| Sheep Improvement Scheme (advance payments) | 18,645 | 16,938 | €21.43 million |
| Fodder Support Scheme | 67,450 | 67,049 | €51.66 million |
| ACRES Training Scheme | All ACRES participants not already trained in 2023 | 21,047 (number trained) | €6.6 million |
The same section of the report also outlines figures for expenditure under various forestry-related measures.
The highest expenditure amount here was €45.74 million in afforestation premiums (including under the Native Tree Area Scheme).
A further €10.15 million was paid out for afforestation grants (including NTAS).
The payments made for forestry measures are outlined below (the payments column excludes those cases that are in progress with an agent, withdrawn, and withdrawn not submitted):
| Scheme | Applications processed & decided (2024) | Payments made (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Afforestation grants (including NTAS) | 1,021 (excludes withdrawn) | €10.15 million |
| Afforestation grants (including NTAS) | 9,633 | €45.74 million |
| Forest Roads | 838 (excludes withdrawn) | €3.98 million |
| Reconstitution Ash Dieback | 735 (excludes withdrawn) | €3.61 million |
| Woodland Improvement | 185 | 270,000 |
| Deer Tree Shelter and Deer Hare Fencing | 207 | €50,000 |
| Climate Resilient Reforestation | 0 | €0 |
| Innovative Forest Technology | 9 | €710,000 |
