Over 8,600 farmers in ACRES are in limbo, waiting for balancing payments to be processed by the Department of Agriculture.

A further 6,975 farmers have been issued with demands to repay upwards of €12m due to an overpayment of their interim payment.

Department officials have said mapping discrepancies, scorecard issues, scheme contract changes and outstanding BISS queries are to blame for the delays to the balancing payments in the scheme.

It expects 95% of balancing payments to be processed by the end of this month, but added that it predicts further repayment demands to be issued as applications are processed.

Darren Carty who is Sheep & Schemes Editor with the Irish Farmers Journal has been giving more details to Midwest News.