Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Question 10: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress made to date in advancing investment under the targeted agricultural modernisation schemes under the various schemes launched in 2010 and early 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14613/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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EU Commission approval for the introduction of a number of targeted on-farm investment schemes focused on supporting productive investment in the agricultural sector was received in March 2010. Priority was given to the introduction of the Bioenergy, Poultry Welfare and Sow Welfare Schemes which were launched by my Department during the first half of 2010. The Sheep Fencing/Handling Scheme opened for applications on 1 November 2010 whilst the Dairy Equipment and Rainwater Harvesting Schemes were introduced in March 2011. The available grant-rate was 40%, with the exception of the Bioenergy Scheme where the grant-rate was fixed at 50% of crop establishment costs up to a maximum of €1,300 per hectare.

The schemes were suspended for new applications on 8 June 2011 in the context of the comprehensive review of my Department's expenditure which was underway at that time and the particular issue of consideration of funding for the Department's capital expenditure programme in 2013. 1,915 applications were received by my Department under the TAMS prior to their suspension on 8 June 2011, of which 89 were received under the Bioenergy Scheme. With the exception of a small number of cases where the applications are either still under query with the farmers concerned or were deemed to be ineligible, all these applicants have been approved to proceed with the investment works concerned.

With the exception of the Poultry Welfare Scheme which had reached its deadline for the submission of applications, the schemes were reopened for applications in December 2011. My Department's Estimates for 2012 provides an allocation of €20m for TAMS for this year. In the case of the Poultry Welfare Scheme, I extended the closing date for completion of work under the Scheme to 28 September 2012 although this, of course, did not prejudice in any way the entry into force of the new EU animal welfare rules for the sector which came into effect at the beginning of this year.

To date, almost 1,370 applications have been received under the TAMS since their re-opening in December 2011 and these grant applications are currently being processed by my Department. In general, farmers have a period of two years from the date of approval to complete the investment works concerned. Total expenditure under TAMS, to date, has amounted to €1.235 million and I expect that this will increase very significantly during the course of this year.