Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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400. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide €90 million in funding for TAMS in 2024 to keep it in line with current levels of inflation costing which must be updated before the opening of each tranche; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44032/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) provides grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings. The scheme will be in place for a period of five years, until 2027, with an indicative budget of €370 million. As TAMS is a demand-led scheme, it would not be prudent to divide this amount over tranches. Any increase in the overall amount will be subject to budgetary negotiations.

Following the success of TAMS II, I have increased the number of investment items available significantly. I have also increased the reference costs as appropriate across all schemes in TAMS 3, as well as the number of applicants eligible for 60% grant rates. These are now available to eligible applicants for items under the Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme, Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme, Women Farmers Capital Investment Scheme and the Organic Capital Investment Scheme.

The inflationary impact on Investment items and ceilings for grant aid are under constant review, and this will be taken into consideration when evaluating further updates across the suite of TAMS schemes.

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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401. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will include grant-aid for dribble bars, rubber mats and quad gates under TAMS in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44033/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) provides grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings. There is a budget of €370 million available for the period 2023-2027, and all investments are linked to Climate, Environment or Animal Welfare.

Following the success of TAM II, I have significantly increased the number of investments available to more than 430 items. Due to budgetary constraints it has not been possible to include rubber mats and quad gates at this time.

There is currently analysis taking place of emissions factor in relation to the dribble bar compared to the trailing shoe. I am awaiting the outcome of this analysis before making a decision on the inclusion of the dribble bar in TAMS 3.

Investment items and ceilings for grant aid are under constant review, and additional investment items may be included for consideration when evaluating further updates to the TAMS 3 investment lists.

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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402. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will support a proposal that a young farmer capital investment scheme and the women capital investment scheme needs to be established (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44034/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) provides grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings. The scheme will be in place for a period of five years, until 2027, with a budget of €370 million. The Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme and The Women Farmer Capital Investment Scheme are two of the ten schemes available under TAMS 3.

Under the Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme, the definition of the Young Farmer is set out in EU Regulations, and is limited to applicants who are under 41 years of age at the time of application. Eligible farmers in this category that hold the necessary qualifications are entitled to grant aid of 60%.

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

The key requirement for any TAMS scheme is that the applicant holds an official department identifier (herd number). In cases where any potential applicant is not named on a herd number, it is open to them to have their name added as part of a registered farm partnership or have the herd number moved to their name only. Applicants should seek the advice of their agricultural consultant before considering a change of status in respect of their holdings.

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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403. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he accepts that there is a need for a significant upward revision of TAMS 3 for the pig sector to facilitate the significant investment required at farm level and consideration of funding this through a separate mechanism to TAMS 3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44035/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) provides grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings.

The scheme acknowledges and addresses the need for investment in all farming sectors, including the pig sector. Specifically with regard to the pig sector, I have increased the investment ceiling from €200,000 in TAMS II to €500,000 in TAMS 3, via the Pig and Poultry Investment Scheme. This is significantly higher than the ceilings in place in other farming sectors, and reflects the high cost of investment required in the pig sector.

I also recently announced that 100% of eligible applications under tranche 1 of TAMS 3 will be approved for funding, which is in keeping with the commitment to assist farmers to address animal welfare, climate and sustainability targets.

I believe that the suite of TAMS schemes, including the Pig & Poultry Investment Scheme, is the best mechanism for ensuring that funding is targeted at the most appropriate enterprises. I will also ensure that investment items and ceilings for grant aid continue to be reviewed on a regular basis.