Minister Canney welcomes €37 million in ACRES balancing payments for farmers

Seán Canney TD, Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports and Leader in Cabinet of the Independent Ministers, has welcomed the issuing of €37 million in balancing payments to farmers under the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) for the 2025 scheme year.

Payments began issuing this week to around 47,000 farmers, with the vast majority expected to receive their balances in the coming days.

Welcoming the update, Minister Canney said: “This is really positive news for farmers. These payments are important for farm families and for rural communities, and it’s good to see them landing earlier this year than they did last year.

“Farmers are at the heart of ACRES. They are doing the work on the ground – protecting habitats, improving biodiversity and managing land in a sustainable way.”

The payments bring the total amount paid to farmers under ACRES to over €783 million since the scheme began in 2023.

Minister Canney also acknowledged that a small number of payments from previous years are still outstanding: “I know there are some farmers still waiting on payments from earlier years. In many cases, there are specific issues to be worked through, but the clear message is that these will be resolved and payments will follow as soon as possible.”

ACRES supports a wide range of environmental actions across farms, including the management of commonage lands and improving grassland habitats – all of which play a key role in tackling climate change and supporting biodiversity.

Minister Canney added: “There’s a real return here – not just for farmers, but for the environment and for future generations. Farmers are the custodians of the land, and it’s right that their contribution is recognised and supported through schemes like ACRES.”