Almost half of participants have left tranche two of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) on the Aran Islands, new data from the Department of Agriculture has revealed.

In total under tranche two of the scheme, 50 out of 105 participants have dropped out.

Some 66% of farmers taking part in the second phase of ACRES on Inis Oírr - the smallest of the islands - have exited the scheme, 23 of 35 participants.

On Inis Mór - the largest island - 21 out of 46 farmers left the scheme (46%).

On Inis Meáin - the least-populated island - 25% of participants (six of 24) have dropped out of ACRES tranche two.

‘Concern’

The data was released in response to a parliamentary question by Galway TD Éamon Ó Cuív.

Ó Cuív asked Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue if “he is concerned at the high attrition rate of applications due to the unsuitability of the scheme in this extremely high nature value area”.

Minister McConalogue said that based on the experience of previous schemes, a farmer's decision to withdraw is often due to a change in circumstances between the time the application was submitted and its approval.

“The decision to withdraw is also influenced by other options becoming available to the farmer, such as participation in other schemes and alternative land use options.

“Many withdrawals are also the result of retirement and illness. No evidence has been provided by farmers who have withdrawn from ACRES on the islands that their decision was based on the unsuitability of the scheme to the areas farmed,” he added.

‘Contradictory’

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Deputy Ó Cuív said ACRES is unviable for island farms because they are small in hectarage and are made up of many fields, all of which have to be scored individually.

“The cost of doing all these assessments is just not economic,” he said.

The Galway TD added that ACRES is not working for farmers on the Aran Islands, which is “totally contradictory”.

“They’re farming in a terribly natural way, but the structure of the scheme means the returns are miniscule for some of the most ecologically precious sites in the country. It seems to be totally contradictory.

“ACRES was meant to be a step up in environmental protection, but if it’s not economic for farmers on the most valuable of ecological sites to be part of the scheme, it makes a nonsense of the scheme,” he said.

Stonewall maintenance

ACRES regional manager for the Aran Islands Patrick McGurn told the Irish Farmers Journal the issue related to stonewall maintenance not being included as a non-productive investment (NPI) on some tranche two applications.

“In tranche one, 90 farmers entered the ACRES scheme with the land scoring on average eight. Most of these farmers also included the maintenance of stonewalls as a general action, which enabled them to draw down an additional €3,040 per year based on 4,000m of stonewall maintenance.

“Farms on the island are known for the high level of stonewalls and small fields, a priority in the landscape,” he said.

McGurn added that in tranche two of ACRES, an additional 100 farmers across the islands applied to join the scheme, but stonewall maintenance was not included either by the adviser or the farmer as an NPI in many cases.

“Therefore, the only payment was for the grassland option and the rate varied depending on the score received.

“For smaller farms, with no stonewall maintenance included, coupled with the cost of scoring the fields by the planner, there has been a higher dropout rate.

“Early estimates are that approximately 70% to 75% of farmers on the Aran Islands have entered ACRES,” he said.