Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The focus of programme C is to promote economically, socially and environmentally sustainable farming, fishing and forestry. The key strategies underpinning this programme include the implementation of the rural development programme, the protection of the agriculture and fishing environments through environmentally friendly systems, the implementation of environmental cross-compliance standards and processes, and the improvement of income levels of farm, forest and marine enterprises through policy schemes and services that help sustain the rural and coastal economy. In pursuit of the priorities outlined, budget 2016 has provided €494 million in 2016 to the rural development programme. The rural development programme will see an investment of some €4 billion in Irish agriculture over the years 2014 to 2020 and it is a key support for rural areas. Rural development programme schemes provide vital investment in the rural economy, prioritise agri-environmental protection and support the incomes of family farms. Overall for 2016, €494 million has been provided for investment under the rural development programme. This figure is up from €439 million in 2015, representing an increase of over 12.5%.

Some 196 million has been made available for agri-environmental schemes, including REPS, AEOS, the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS, and organics. Some 38,000 farms will benefit this year under GLAS, which encourages farmers to farm in a more environmentally sustainable manner. This scheme will ultimately support up to 50,000 farmers and require funding of €250 million per annum in future years. I will be opening the scheme to new applicants in the autumn.

Almost €36 million has been allocated to TAMS for 2016. This will provide funding for the young farmer capital investment scheme in addition to dairy equipment, organic capital investment, pig and poultry investments, the animal welfare safety and nutrients storage scheme, and the low-emissions slurry spreading scheme. Sheep fencing is now included as an investment item in TAMS II and it can now be applied for in the current and subsequent tranches.

A total of 5,578 applications have been received under the three tranches to date. Approvals and part approvals have been issued in respect of over 2,289 of these cases and are continuing to be issued on an ongoing basis. Importantly, the TAMS IT payment claims system is currently being finalised, and payments will commence in the second half of this year. Approval has also been sought from the Commission for a scheme to specifically target the tillage sector, with support for appropriate investments. Formal approval is expected by the end of this month, and the scheme will be available for online applications soon after that.