Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As then Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Smith put in massive investment through the then TAMS scheme which made a very substantial difference on farms. I thank the Deputy for raising the issue and for his continued pressing for this scheme and the successor scheme over recent months.

The targeted agriculture modernisation scheme, TAMS, 3 provides grants to farmers to build and-or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings. I have significantly increased the number of items that can be claimed for under TAMS 3 compared with before. Up to last year, there were 300 items which were eligible for either 40% or 60% grant aid. There are now approximately 430. It is a massive improvement from last year to this year in terms of Government backing of on-farm investment.

Overall, the scheme, as the Deputy can understand, has proved very popular as a result. The first tranche of TAMS 3, which closed on 30 June 2023, had a record 8,241 applications across the various sectors. Applications received across all of the measures in tranche 1 are being processed. Once the initial processing is completed, all applications are subject to a ranking and selection process, but we have accepted all 100% into that.

To assist farmers who required the construction of slurry and manure storage facilities for the spring and were waiting on approval and needed it urgently, I provided an urgent facilitation so that farmers who needed to get the work done were able to apply and be able to do it this winter and into the spring. We have issued 252 in that regard. Non-priority approval letters for tranche 1 applications have commenced, starting with the solar capital investment scheme. It is anticipated the majority of approvals under tranche 1 will issue by April 2024. To address the issue where approval is required urgently, my Department is putting in place a mechanism that will allow applicants or their advisers who have an urgent need to commence works to contact their Department local office and to have their application expedited.

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