James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, for being here to deal with the issue of targeted agriculture modernisation scheme, TAMS, grants. It has been raised by many of my colleagues. My constituency office has been getting several queries on the matter. TAMS has been very successful in providing to farmers additional capital resources from the State and European funding to enable them to carry out key construction and improvement works on farms. The range of projects included is vast. Timing, however, is critical in a farming calendar, as the Minister and Minister of State are well aware. The summer period is optimal for the construction of new facilities for the winter months. In addition, however, coming into the winter months, particularly on dairy farms, many herds are dried off and that gives farmers the opportunity to make preparations for spring, such as new calving sheds and other facilities for the expansion of dairy herds, including milking parlours, slurry tanks and so on. Such projects require a significant amount of capital and forward planning. There is a need to secure planning permission and get one’s consultants to design the new farm infrastructure and sheds.

There are significant delays, however. I think the office is based in Wexford but I stand to be corrected in that regard. There are significant delays due to IT problems and other matters and this needs to be dealt with urgently. My office is getting calls from all over my constituency and beyond to try to get this matter addressed. The Minister is aware this is a serious problem and needs to be addressed. Thousands of people working in agriculture in Cork East as primary producers - farmers - need clarity on this matter, as do farmers nationally.

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