Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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502. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme will open to participants; his plans to extend the age limit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21421/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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TAMS provides funding for capital investments on farms and will be in place for five years with a budget of €370 million and will include 10 Schemes.

The TAMS 3 Scheme opened on 22nd February with the opening of the Solar Capital Investment Scheme (SCIS). To date, six of the 10 TAMS Schemes have opened for applications - Solar Capital Investment Scheme (SCIS), Animal Welfare Nutrient Storage Scheme (AWNSS), Pigs and Poultry Investment Scheme (PPIS) and the Organics Capital Investment Schemes (OCIS), Dairy Equipment Scheme (DES) and the Low Emissions Slurry Spreading Scheme (LESS).

The remaining four schemes - Tillage Capital Investment Scheme (TCIS), Farm Safety Scheme (FSS), Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme (YFCIS) and Women Farmers Capital Investment Scheme (WFCIS) are being prepared and will open on a phased basis in the coming weeks. It is anticipated that the first Tranche for all schemes will close on 16th June 2023. The terms and conditions of each scheme will be published prior to the launch date.

Under the young farmer scheme, the definition of the Young Farmer is set out in the EU Regulations and is limited to applicants who are under 41 at the time of application. Farmers in this category with the necessary qualifications will be entitled to 60% grant rate.

The Women Farmers scheme will open to applicants between the ages of 18 to 66 at any time during the calendar year in which an application for support is submitted. Measures in the new TAMS 3 scheme aim to balance the need to address the issues of both generational renewal and gender balance in farming.

There is no upper age criteria in the other eight schemes under TAMS 3.