I propose to take Questions Nos. 321 and 322 together.
ACRES is the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme which is the central agri-environment climate measure in Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023-2027. Participants in ACRES commit to undertake, under their ACRES contract, certain actions for a period of five years.
There are two approaches within ACRES – an ACRES General approach offering a range of General Actions for farmers; and a Co-operation Project approach, available to farmers in defined high priority geographical areas.
Within the range of ACRES actions from which farmers could select at the time of application, there are a number of tree planting options.
The following table relates specifically to the numbers, by county, who availed of a "Tree planting" action:
No of herds with ACRES action "Tree Planting"
County
|
ACRES Co-operation
|
ACRES General
|
Total
|
Carlow
|
3
|
61
|
64
|
Cavan
|
2
|
162
|
164
|
Clare
|
5
|
99
|
104
|
Cork
|
24
|
525
|
549
|
Donegal
|
27
|
134
|
161
|
Dublin
|
|
4
|
4
|
Galway
|
5
|
206
|
211
|
Kerry
|
32
|
187
|
219
|
Kildare
|
|
10
|
10
|
Kilkenny
|
|
119
|
119
|
Laois
|
|
26
|
26
|
Leitrim
|
9
|
12
|
21
|
Limerick
|
14
|
143
|
157
|
Longford
|
|
57
|
57
|
Louth
|
3
|
12
|
15
|
Mayo
|
9
|
184
|
193
|
Meath
|
|
72
|
72
|
Monaghan
|
|
122
|
122
|
Offaly
|
1
|
20
|
21
|
Roscommon
|
4
|
137
|
141
|
Sligo
|
10
|
55
|
65
|
Tipperary
|
4
|
142
|
146
|
Waterford
|
5
|
87
|
92
|
Westmeath
|
|
101
|
101
|
Wexford
|
2
|
118
|
120
|
Wicklow
|
2
|
55
|
57
|
Total
|
161
|
2,850
|
3,011
|
Each applicant was permitted to select the appropriate number of trees for their own application within the parameters of a maximum of 300 and a minimum of 10 if chosen as a general action, and a minimum of 100 if chosen as a priority action.
The specific requirements in relation to each of the tree planting actions may be found in the ACRES Tranche 1 Specification document available on my Department's website at www.gov.ie/ACRES.