Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Charlie McConalogue.

The TAMS provides grants to farmers to build and-or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings. TAMS 2 closed to applications on 16 December 2022. This extremely successful scheme has paid out more than €427 million in respect of 35,778 payment claims, with processing of claims continuing weekly.

Following the success of TAMS 2, the scope of the scheme and the number of investments available have been significantly increased in TAMS 3. There are now 430 available investments and an increase from seven to ten measures. Reference costs have also been increased. The additional measures are a stand-alone solar capital investment scheme, a farm safety capital investment scheme and a woman farmer capital investment scheme. These three new measures will provide an enhanced grant rate of 60%. The ceiling for the pig and poultry investment scheme has also increased to €500,000. TAMS 3 will be in place for a period of five years until 2027, with an indicative budget of €370 million. The first tranche of TAMS 3 closed on 30 June 2023, with 8,241 applications. The scheme has proved very popular, with an unprecedented level of applications received at almost four times the average number received per tranche under TAMS 2.

To assist farmers who require the construction of slurry and manure storage facilities or urgent animal welfare-related investments for the winter of 2023-24, a priority access facility was provided by the Minister, all of which has now been assessed. Approval has issued in the majority of non-query priority cases. Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine officials have also been in contact with farmers where there is a query on their application to regularise the situation before approval can issue.More than 50% of all investments under tranche 1 are for mobile equipment. To facilitate farmers who apply for mobile equipment, it was decided 100% of eligible applications would receive approval. Applicants may purchase the mobile equipment at their own risk, subject to verification of eligibility in accordance with the terms and conditions of the relevant schemes. Applications received across all the measures in tranche I are currently being processed and all eligible applications will be accepted. An analysis of risk must take place and this is again a regulatory requirement. Once the risk analysis has been completed, approvals are expected to issue. It is anticipated this will commence shortly on a scheme-by-scheme basis, starting with the solar capital investment scheme.