Paul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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99. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme will be reopening for sheep handling facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47581/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The draft Rural Development Programme for the 2014-2020 period was submitted to the EU Commission for approval in July 2014 and includes provision for a suite of on-farm investment schemes. An Animal Welfare, Handling and Safety Scheme is among the proposals and the investment items proposed include sheep handling equipment. The definitive list of investment items eligible for support under TAMS II will be made available when EU Commission approval of the Programme has been received. That process is well underway, but it is not possible at this stage to fix definitive dates for the introduction of the scheme.