Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith has welcomed confirmation that places have been secured for all applicants into Tranche 2 of the Agri-Climate Rural Environmental Scheme (ACRES).

Deputy Smith’s Fianna Fáil party colleague, Charlie McConalogue TD, confirmed that he secured funding places for all 9,000 applicants in this group.  

It is now one of the best funded agri-environment schemes and also one of the largest, with 55,000 farmers now facilitated to participate. 

Deputy Smith said: “I’m delighted to receive confirmation from Minister McConalogue that all of the applicants in this phase of Acres have been accepted. This is a hugely important scheme allowing farmers to take environmental actions.    

“The demand for the scheme demonstrates farmers absolute commitment to implementing measures to target climate change.”

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

Last year, in response to the exceptional demand for places, Minister McConalogue admitted more than 46,000 farmers under Tranche 1 of the scheme. When the second tranche of the scheme closed for applications in December 2023 a further 9,000 applications had been received.

ENDS 

07/03/2024