Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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207. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount allocated to TAMS from 2014 to date; the amount that was allocated and expended in relation to low-emission slurry spreading technology; the number of applications and refusals in relation to low-emission slurry spreading technology, by year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34736/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Both I and the Department are fully committed to encouraging the use of Low Emission Spreading Equipment (LESS) equipment. To date, interest in grant aid for the purchase of LESS equipment under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) has been very strong.

An indicative budget of €395m was made available for TAMS under the current RDP (2014-2020). The total allocation for the full suite of seven TAMS measures including the Low Emission Slurry Spreading Scheme (or LESS) for the transitional period to the end of 2022 is now €507 million plus €96 million under the European Recovery Instrument (EURI) for 2021 to 2023. To date, expenditure under TAMS has exceeded €337 million.

">TAMS Allocation since 2014

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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208. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who participated in both the beef environmental efficiency programme - suckler and the beef data and genomics programme in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34737/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Some 15,493 farmers have applied to participate in both the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme - Suckler (BEEP-S) and the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) for 2022.  Payments under the BDGP and BEEP-S schemes are scheduled to issue in December 2022. 

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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209. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount allocated to the multi-species sward measure to date; the number of applications received; the number that were successful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34738/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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A total of 1,715 applications were received for the Multi Species Sward Measure, which closed for applications on 14^thApril.  This resulted in 1,691 approvals being issued covering an area of 10,217ha.  A very small number of applicants, 24 in total, were ineligible, principally for not meet the minimum application area of 1 Hectare as set out in the Terms and Conditions.

Participating co-ops/agri-retailers are applying a discount of €50 for each 12kg bag of the approved Multi-Species seed mixture purchased by approved applicants. Participating Co-ops/Agri-retailers can lodge up to two claims for payment. The first opportunity to lodge a claim for payment closes shortly with final claims for payment being accepted by my Department up to 1^stOctober 2022.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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210. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications for the organic farming scheme in 2021 and 2022; the number that were successful; the number that were unsuccessful and the reason therefore, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34739/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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A total of 317 Organic Farming Scheme applications were received in 2021 as outlined in the table below.  A small number did not satisfy the eligibility conditions of the scheme while others had an active valid Organic Farming Scheme contract. 

The 380 applications received in 2022 are currently being processed and approval letters will issue later this year. 

I am confident that the budget I secured for the Organic Farming Scheme this year will be sufficient to accommodate all eligible applications.  I am encouraged by the strong uptake in the Organic Farming Scheme over the last two years which will assist in achieving our target of 7.5% land area under organic production.