Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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1976. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration will be given to extending the eligibility for the low emission slurry spreading, LESS, scheme under the TAMS grants to agricultural contractors that wish to upgrade their equipment to reduce emissions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14902/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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TAMS II is a capital investment scheme for on-farm investments. The EU regulations under which the scheme operates under the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2014 – 2020, provide that beneficiaries must be farmers or groups of farmers. The regulatory transitional provisions for support from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) in the years 2021 and 2022 do not alter this definition.

Therefore, the Department is precluded from funding the purchase of equipment by contractors under TAMS II.

The Department is fully committed to encouraging the use of this equipment. Over €38.5 million has been paid to date for investments in LESS equipment under TAMS II.  The interest in the LESS measure of TAMS II has been very strong with 5,580 farmers approved to purchase machinery to date.