Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Lombard. The scheme is extremely attractive and successful, not least because of the level of grant aid, but also because of the range of projects covered under it, which are myriad across a number of sectors in agriculture.A total of 15,500 applications have been made under it. Some 12,500 applications have been approved but in only in the region of 2,500 of those approved have payments been claimed. The problem for the Department is getting certainty around the intentions of those who have approvals outstanding but where no claims have been submitted. We have applied a time limit to more recent tranches of applications whereby an applicant has a six month period for an application for mobile equipment and a 12 month approval period for buildings.

The unfortunate reality for a substantial number of applications prior to that stage is that they have had a three year approval process and that three year process has not begun to expire yet. It is probable that a number of those approvals will not proceed. Currently, they may be resubmitted at a later stage but it makes it difficult to consider at this point in time whether there is sufficient head room to consider other items under the rural development programme and the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, TAMS. There is no shortage of asks.

I appreciate the points the Senator has raised here and with me privately about underpasses. I accept the principle of the point made, namely, that the absence of underpasses makes it difficult to farm fragmented holdings, particularly dairy holdings where crossing busy roads multiple times each day is necessary.

There is no shortage of asks in respect of TAMS. The Deputy also mentioned generators and that is another area where there is interest. The list of asks is very long but until we get greater financial certainty around what are the intentions of numerous approved applicants whose applications are timed to expire as this year progresses, we will not have sufficient clarity as to what head room is available.