Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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263. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the ceiling of €80,000 on the TAMS scheme for pig producers will be reviewed and extended to €500,000 due to the intensive nature of the business and the large investments required to fulfil animal welfare responsibilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28513/19]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The TAMS II budget is being monitored on a continual basis in view of the 26,000 applications received and the 20,000 approvals issued to date. Over 10,000 of these approvals have yet to be claimed as payments. It is expected that the TAMS II budget will be fully spent based on the number of applications received and factoring in the number of future tranches. The most recent tranche of the scheme had a record number of 3,200 applicants which is the highest level of applications under any tranche to date.

Any increase in the ceiling for the Pigs and Poultry Investment Scheme of TAMS II from the existing ceiling would also require EU Commission approval to a formal amendment to Ireland's Rural Development Plan.