ICSA Rural Development chair Edmond Phelan has said it is completely unacceptable that farmers are still waiting indefinitely for the ACRES payments they are entitled to. He insisted that the Department of Agriculture must commit to a firm, non-negotiable end date for all outstanding payments. “According to the latest figures, there are around 10,400 farmers still waiting for their payments, with over 2,700 of these yet to receive their balancing payments from 2023 - let alone those for 2024. This saga has gone on far too long and must be brought to a conclusion,” he said.

Continuing Mr Phelan said, “It is not enough to simply set start date after start date for payments to flow; there has to be an end date, and that end date must be set in stone. If that end date is not met, then the payments should issue automatically. The current situation is completely unacceptable and is undermining trust in the entire scheme.

 Nearly two years have passed since farmers first applied for the ACRES scheme. It is time for some quid pro quo. Farmers have upheld their commitments under the strictest of parameters, and the department must now do the same. Thousands of farmers cannot continue to be left out of pocket due to bureaucratic delays. There is also the growing disillusionment amongst farmers to consider, with many questioning whether it is worth signing up for schemes at all for fear that they will be left high and dry when it comes to getting paid.”

 Mr Phelan said he was calling on Minister Heydon to set a definitive end date for the clearance of payments, beyond which all outstanding payments must be issued without delay. “The Minister must now provide clarity, certainty, and a commitment to an immovable end date for all outstanding payments. Anything less is a failure to respect the financial stability of those who have engaged in good faith.”