Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy Kerrane. We keep a constant review on all elements of TAMS. It does evolve. There are no plans at present to change eligibility criteria for the women farmers' capital investment scheme or any other element of TAMS, but TAMS 3, as were previous TAMS, has been monitored and followed through with regard to how we might change it.

With regard to the point on the work that has been done today to get us to this point, the total of 700 applications shows good interest in it. No doubt we will have more under TAMS 3. We are working through processing them as quickly as possible. It is important to highlight we have been very flexible with regard to mobile equipment. The women farmers' capital investment scheme is very similar to the young farmer capital investment scheme. It is quite complex because it covers every aspect of capital investment and not just one specific element. For example, farm safety has many mobile pieces and it is easier to process. The other is very complex as there could be very large capital investment schemes availing of a 60% grant. We have to have strict conditionality on this to protect the public interest.

See this speech in context