Rural Development Council Report July 2026
Market Updates
ACRES
- The ACRES Core payment process is substantially complete. For the 2023 and 2024 scheme years, 99% of participants have received their payments, with the remaining outstanding cases relating to probate.
- For the 2025 scheme year, 89% of participants have been fully paid, while 98% have received their advance payments. The remaining outstanding cases are primarily due to individual participant issues and deceased participant cases.
- These payments bring the total amount paid under ACRES since its commencement in 2023 to just over €787 million.
- 2026 advance payments are expected to commence in November.
TAMS
| Ranking & Selection Applied T11 | |
| Solar | 10% |
| LESS | 10% |
| DES | 20% |
| TCIS | 70% |
| AWNSS; Organics; PPIS; WF-CIS; YF-CIS | 75% |
| Farm Safety | 100% |
- To date, over 63,700 applications have been submitted across the scheme tranches 1-11, with in excess of 50,000 approvals issued to farmers.
| Tranche | Closing Date |
| Tranche 13 | 4th September |
| Tranche 14 | 4th December |
- Payments of more than €175 million have issued in respect of approved investments to approx. 19,000 farmers.
- Due to the high volume of applications and limited available funding, ranking and selection was introduced from Tranche 9 onwards. R&S rates increased slightly in T11 for investments such as nutrient storage, up to 75% approval rate.
- Payments continue to issue weekly, averaging at €1.5m per week.
- T10 receiving 7,906 applications with T11 receiving 4,452
- Following a short extension, T12 closed on 19th June. T13 is currently open and will close in early September.
- IFA has called on the Minister to increase funding for TAMS to €100m, with a stand-alone scheme for nutrient storage.
Direct Payment updates
- Under BISS, 99.6% of eligible applicants (119,271) received their 2025 payments.
- For the 2026 scheme year, 122,723 applications have been received. The overall area declared is broadly in line with 2025 levels. Approximately 34,000 entitlement transfer applications have been received, representing a slight decrease compared with 2025. These include approximately 3,000 TRNs, 258 sales, with the majority relating to changes in farm structure or extended lease agreements.
- In July, approx. 1,500 AMS notifications issued to farmers, with the majority relating to the presence of artificial surfaces. A further round of AMS notifications will issue in mid-August.
Agriculture Appeals Office
The Agriculture Appeals Office Annual Report 2025 was published in mid-July. While the overall number of appeals received decreased compared with 2024, the proportion of appeals awarded or partially awarded in favour of farmers fell to its lowest level at 34%. The IFA has reiterated its call for the establishment of an independent appeals panel without further delay.
Activity since last Council
- The Rural Development Committee met online to discuss CAP & Pre-Budget Submission
- Letter issued to Irish MEPs including MFF/CAP/NRPP/ECF compromise amendments
- Letter issued to Irish MEPs on CommAGRI including Voting suggestions re Compromise Amendments for EU Performance Framework proposals
- Letter issued to Irish MEPs re proposals within CommITRE report on European Competitiveness Fund proposals
- Letter to Minister Thomas Byrne ahead of GAC Council on MFF
- Letter issued to An Tánaiste in advance of ECOFIN meeting 27 July
- Attended National Council trip to Brussels to discuss CAP-Post 2027 proposals and priorities
- Letters issued to Irish Ambassador and An Taoiseach in advance of Partial General Agreement on MFF, outlining IFA CAP post-2027 concerns and priorities
- Letter to Irish MEPs with IFA CAP priorities document
- Letter to Oireachtas Members with IFA CAP priorities document
- Attended County executives including Offaly, Tipperary, Waterford, and Carlow to discuss CAP-Post 2027 proposals and priorities
- Attended the CAP Monitoring Committee Meeting
- Attended the CAP Post-2027 Consultative Committee meeting
- Supported County Executive engagements with Nina Carbery MEP on MFF/CAP
- Attended ‘Shaping the Future of Irish Agriculture – CAP & Innovation’ Stakeholder forum
- Submitted feedback on mid-term review of the Farmers Charter of Rights
- Attended the Farmers Charter of Rights meeting in Portlaoise
- Participated in COPA CAP Working Party
- Attended Weekly PoCC meetings online
- Committee members attended the IFA Budget Lobbying Day
- Assisted members with scheme queries/appeals
Any EU/COPA developments
The IFA actively participates on Copa-Cogeca working groups covering CAP, Direct Payments and Rural Development. Following the publication of the European Commission’s CAP 2028–2032 proposals last year, the IFA has engaged extensively with the COPA Working Party, providing detailed feedback, observations and suggested amendments. This work has spanned several key areas, including the CAP, European Competitiveness Fund, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), NRPP, the Performance Framework, and the CMO. Work is expected to intensify from September, with weekly PoCC meetings scheduled.
Upcoming
- The Rural Development Committee will meet in the Irish Farm Centre on 23rd September
- Meeting of CAP Post 2027 Consultative Committee meeting on 27th August
- Meeting with DAFM and Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon re IFA Budget 2027 priorities
- Meeting with Tánaiste/ Minister for Finance Simon Harris and Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform Jack Chambers re IFA Budget 2027 priorities.
