Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 3 November 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Farm Safety: Discussion

Photo of Martin HeydonMartin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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As regards TAMS, there is a significant number of measures that have a farm safety element and are funded through TAMS. Obviously, farm safety will be an integral part of the new TAMS but it is not the only mechanism through which we can support farmers with investment. I refer to the accelerated capital allowance scheme. It is a proposal we got through in the Finance Act last year and has been live since 1 January 2021. There were several issues relating to the rules in the context of finance. I recently launched the application process of the scheme in the third quarter of this year, but farmers can backdate investments they have made in the 14 key areas, such as farm safety measures, to seek to recoup that money over two years rather than over eight years as is the case for the normal process. That accelerated capital allowance is another example of what we are providing for farmers. I hope that, in time, if farmers use it and there is a good take-up of it, that it can be increased. The total expenditure under the seven measures of TAMS, including transitional expenditure, has reached in excess of €312 million, with €47.7 million paid to date in 2021. I have a long list of TAMS safety equipment that is available to farmers. Farm safety will be definitely an integral part of the new TAMS.