Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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311. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the assistance his Department is providing in grant aid for farm building, for example, dairy parlours, slatted units, silos, sheds and so on, to older farmers, middle aged and upwards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25967/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Under the Rural Development Programme for the 2014-2020 the following investments have been identified as priority areas to be targeted in the new TAMS measure:

- young farmer capital investments,

- dairy equipment,

- low emission slurry spreading equipment,

- organic capital investment,

- animal welfare and farm safety (specifically beef and sheep handling facilities) farm nutrient storage and animal housing, and

- pig and poultry investments in energy, water meters and medicine dispensers.

I have already launched the Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme and, most recently, the Dairy Equipment Scheme which is available to all farmers, including older farmers. This Scheme provides grant-aid at a rate of 40% for investments in milking machines, milk storage and cooling equipment including silos and in-parlour feeding systems. Under the Animal Welfare, Farm Safety and Nutrient Storage Scheme, which will be launched over the summer, I intend to provide grant-aid for a very wide range of investments, including animal housing, slatted sheds and slurry storage. As with the Dairy Equipment Scheme, this new scheme will be available to all farmers offering a standard rate of aid of 40%. I will also be launching a special on-farm capital investment scheme for Organic farmers, again with a 40% rate of aid, and providing for a very wide range of investment possibilities, including housing. This scheme also will be available to all organic farmers, irrespective of age.