Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are trying to sequence this. It cannot all be done in one go. It should be borne in mind that it opened up through a number of months and only closed on 1 July. A record number of applications were made and we have to work through them in the most efficient way possible. We have given authorisation to half of all applicants to go ahead and make their purchase. That relates to the mobile TAMS. In addition, we have pulled out the urgent applications relating to work that needs to be done this autumn. Such applicants should have notified us by 15 September, and had the option of doing so. If there are other applications of which the Deputy is aware, he should please bring them to me. The applicants would need to show the applications are urgent in order that they can get dealt with now. We wish to ensure that anybody who needs to do work in winter to be ready for spring can do so. That is the objective. Once we have all those applications approved, we will work our way through the others in as effective and efficient a way as possible. It would not be fair to characterise it as a backlog. The scheme was open until 1 July. We have stepped it out and approval has been given to half of all applicants to now make their purchases. In addition, we are giving approval to those who need to get builders on site and we are working our way through all the other applications. The first in the line to get approval in that regard will be applications under the solar TAMS.

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