CLOSE on 7,000 Galway farmers are set to receive payments of close on €26 million this week for two major schemes – ACRES Environmental and Sheep Welfare.

Minister for Agriculture, Martin Heydon, confirmed on Monday that the national payments’ run for the two schemes had now commenced – nearly €147 million [close on 34,000 applicants] in ACRES, and €16.44 million in the sheep scheme [13,175 farmers].

Galway with over 5,500 farmers in ACRES should receive approximately €24 million in payments [average of c. €4,300] while 1,459 farmers from the county in the Sheep Welfare Scheme will receive €1.6 million [average of almost €1,100 per applicant].

The ACRES advance payment is for Tranche 1 [2023] participants in the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme, while a further 8,000 farmers across the country, who joined in 2024, will received €32.7m in payments from next week.

According to Minister Heydon, these latest rounds of payments will bring total ACRES returns to farmers, since the start of the scheme in 2023, to €697 million.

“This reflects the Government’s commitment to achieving a range of environmental, biodiversity, water quality and climate objectives by supporting farm families in their environmental journey.

“ACRES is an ambitious scheme and there have been challenges presented by Ireland’s level of ambition. It is clear that we are overcoming those challenges through the commitment of all those involved in the scheme including farmers, advisors and project teams,” said Minister Heydon.

Mayo with 5,773 farmers in ACRES and Galway with 5,554, are the top two counties in the country for farmers taking part in the environmental scheme – Dublin on 72 has the lowest number of participating farmers.

In the Sheep Welfare Scheme, Donegal with 2,919 applicants [€2.7m] ‘tops the national league’, followed by Kerry [1,234, €1.9m]; Mayo [1,827, €1.89m]; and Galway [1459, €1.6m].

However, Minister Heydon also confirmed that despite an extra €22 million being allocated to the scheme, a lower payment rate of €11.50 per ewe had to apply because of an ‘oversubscription to the scheme’ – 17,278 applications and 1.91 million ewes.

“When combined with the €12 per ewe available under the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) Sheep Improvement Scheme, this means sheep farmers in both schemes will receive up to €23.50 per ewe, an increase of 17.5% per ewe on last year’s combined payment,” said Minister Heydon.

Minister of State, Seán Canney, has welcomed the sheep payments, saying that they would be a vital boost for rural communities and farm families across Galway and the West.

“The Sheep Welfare Scheme is an important part of a wider suite of supports under CAP and national programmes that backs family farms, particularly in counties like Galway,” he said.

Pictured: Martin Heydon: ACRES and Sheep payments started.