Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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107. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when approvals will issue in respect of tranche 1 of TAMS 3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46951/23]

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.

Tranche 1 of TAMS 3 which closed on 30^thJune 2023, has proved very popular, with 8,241 applications received (almost four times the average number received per tranche under TAMS 2). Applications received across all of the measures in Tranche 1 are currently being processed. To facilitate investment on farms, I announced in September that all eligible applications under Tranche 1 would be approved or payment.

More than 50% of all investments under tranche 1 are for mobile equipment. I also announced that farmers who applied for mobile equipment may purchase the equipment, at their own risk, subject to verification of eligibility in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of the relevant schemes.

Due to the unprecedented level of interest, it is intended that approvals will issue by scheme, starting with the Solar Capital Investment Scheme in the next two weeks.

To assist farmers that require the construction of slurry and manure storage facilities for the winter of 2023/2024, or urgent animal welfare related investments, I initiated a priority approval process which was open to farmers up to 15 September 2023. Assessment has commenced on all applications with approvals having issued to eligible priority cases.

It is expected that approvals will commence issuing to other schemes starting with the Solar Investment Scheme in the next two weeks.