Written answers

Tuesday, 30 June 2015

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

On-farm Investment Schemes

Photo of Paul ConnaughtonPaul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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305. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the 40% grant for investment in the dairy sector will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25828/15]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am pleased to say that I have just announced the opening of the new TAMS II Dairy Equipment Scheme yesterday, 29 June 2015. This is the second of the new Targeted Modernisation Schemes (TAMS II) to be launched under the new Rural Development Programme 2014 - 2020. An indicative allocation of €50m is being made available under the terms of this Scheme over the full RDP period. The total allocation for the various on farm investment Schemes planned under TAMS II, including the Dairy Equipment Scheme, is €395m over the course of the programme.

The Scheme is open to all farmers who meet the general eligibility criteria, offering a standard rate of aid of 40%. The specific areas of investment will include milking machines, milk cooling and storage equipment, water heating and in-parlour feeding systems.All applications must be made on-line, either by the farmer or by an adviser authorised to act on his or her behalf. The online application system will go-live after a week, to allow time for farmers and advisors to familiarise themselves fully with the detail of the new Scheme before drawing up applications.

The first tranche of applications will run for three months from the activation of the online system, closing in early October. I would like to encourage all farmers thinking of investing in this area to study the terms & conditions carefully to see how the new Scheme could benefit them.

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