Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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749. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding funding approved for works in TAMS II applications that have yet to be drawn down which will expire by the end of 2018; the number of persons in this position; the value of moneys approved but not drawn down to date; the position regarding moneys approved but not drawn down; if these funds can be carried forward; and if not, whether they must be returned to the Exchequer or the EU budget. [12752/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Over 13,000 approvals have now issued for the various investments covered by the suite of seven TAMS II measures. Applications that were submitted under Tranches 1 to 5 were issued with approvals which had a lifetime of up to three years. Thereafter applications were approved with a completion period of six months for mobile investments or twelve months for fixed investments. 

The budget for TAMS II for the duration of the RDP (2014-2020) is €395m. Payment claims continue to be received and processed on an on going basis as is the case with applications for approval.

At this point payments to the value of €45.4m have issued.  The number of outstanding approvals in respect of which payment claims have not yet been submitted by participants is currently 9,500. The usage of the budget is dependent on the volume and value of payment claims submitted by approved participants as they complete their approved works and the expenditure is monitored closely. All participants who have completed approved works have been encouraged to submit a payment claim.

The first TAMS approvals are now starting to lapse as the time for applying for payment has expired. It is a matter for each TAMS applicant to ensure that they submit their payment application within the timeframe of their approval.