2693. Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount from both Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 budgets that was paid to the eight ACRES co-operation projects from 1 January 2022 to to date in 2026, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61273/26]

The ACRES Co-operation approach, which operates across eight designated zones, is delivered by eight ACRES Co-operation Project Teams appointed through a competitive public procurement process advertised on eTenders. Each team operates under contract with my Department; payments are made in accordance with those contracts and are subject to my Department's controls and verification arrangements.

Total funding paid to the eight ACRES Co-operation Project Teams to date is € 48 m. These payments relate to the delivery of bespoke scheme services and are separate from the payments made directly to participating farmers under ACRES.

There are over 53,000 farm families participating in ACRES nationally, of whom over 20,000 are in the Co-operation approach. These participants are directly supported by their local co-operation team, who provide expertise and guidance to improve their year-on-year score for results-based actions in ACRES.

As well as delivering scheme services to farming families participating in the ACRES Co-operation approach, these teams provide direct employment for local professionals in the regions concerned; they also deliver training and upskilling and carry out biodiversity assessments and habitat management. This builds lasting expertise in precisely those regions best placed to deliver targeted environmental and climate benefits.