Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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608. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when Departmental costings guidelines for TAMS-supported investments were last revised; if he intends to revise these; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54724/23]

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 an indicative budget of €370 million available for the period 2023-2027, and all investments must be linked to Climate, Environment or Animal Welfare.

Following the success of TAMS II, which closed for applications in December 2022, I have increased the number of investment items available significantly, and have also increased the reference costs as appropriate across all schemes in TAMS 3. I have also increased the number of applicants eligible for 60% grant rates. Grant rates of 60% are now available to eligible applicants for items under the Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme, Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme, Solar Capital Investment scheme, Women Farmers Capital Investment Scheme and the Organic Capital Investment Scheme.

I will also ensure that the costing of items available under the TAMS schemes are kept under continuous review during the lifetime of the programme.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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609. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of TAMs applications received to date under Tranche 1; the number processed; when the remainder are due to be processed by; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54725/23]

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 an indicative budget of €370 million available for the period 2023-2027, and all investments must be linked to Climate, Environment or Animal Welfare.

Tranche 1 of TAMS 3 closed on 30 June 2023, with 8,241 applications received across ten separate measures. The Solar Capital Investment Scheme opened for applications in February 2023, with the remaining ten measures opening on a phased basis. The final measure, The Women Capital Investment Scheme, opened for applications in June 2023.

Overall, the scheme has proved very popular, with an unprecedented level of 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. Once the initial processing is completed all applications will be subject to a ranking and selection process, which is a regulatory requirement for all TAMS 3 applications.

To assist farmers that required the construction of slurry and manure storage facilities, or urgent animal welfare related investments for the winter of 2023/2024, I provided a priority access facility, and all applications received under this facility have now been assessed.

Approvals have now issued to 252 eligible priority access cases, and my Department has also been in contact with farmers where there is a query on their application in order to resolve the issue before approval can issue. Non-priority approval letters for Tranche 1 applications have now started to issue, commencing with the Solar Capital Investment Scheme. It is anticipated that the majority of approvals under Tranche 1 will issue by April 2024.

More than 50% of all investments under Tranche 1 are in respect of mobile equipment. Applicants may purchase the mobile equipment, at their own risk, subject to verification of eligibility in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of the relevant schemes.

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

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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621. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the efforts he made to ensure that the maximum number of tillage farmers were made aware of the targeted scheme to compensate growers for unharvested crops; if he will address concerns that some growers had no idea that such a scheme was in place, and subsequently missed the application deadline; if he will extend the application deadline to ensure maximum access to the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54959/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 610 and 621 together.

On 16 November, I announced an additional €7.147 million in state funding to support the tillage sector. This additional national support represents a 100% top-up to the €7.147 million allocated under the EU Agricultural Reserve which was announced in early October. This state funding is being used to support growers with unharvested crops by way of the Unharvested Crop Support Scheme with the remaining available funds being used as a top-up to all eligible recipients of the Ag Reserve payment announced in October.

A press release was issued by my Department on my announcement of the Unharvested Crop Support Scheme and was covered widely by the agricultural media at the time.

The Unharvested Crop Loss Support Scheme opened for applications on 16 November and farmers who wished to avail of the scheme had to submit applications by close of business on Friday 24 November 2023. While I appreciate that the period for submitting applications was relatively short, it was necessary to allow sufficient time for my officials to process applications and for the necessary inspections to be carried out to enable payments to be made in January 2024.

Payments under the Unharvested Crop Support Scheme are being made under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1465. This Regulation provides for financial support from the EU Agricultural Reserve and also allows for Member States to top-up this support with state funding. The Regulation clearly specifies that payments must be made by 31 January 2024. In view of the very short window to administer the Scheme and to have payments made by the 31 January deadline, it is not possible for my Department to extend the deadline for applications.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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611. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the timetable for the sign off on payments under the TAMS scheme to farmers when all the documentation has been submitted and the payments to be issued; if there are adequate staff to deal with this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54744/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Generally, approval for payment under the TAMS scheme takes place within two months following the receipt of the claim for payment, together with valid supporting documentation and the completion of investments in accordance with specifications. Payment then issues to 100% of cleared cases within three weeks of approval for payment, when it has been determined that the work has been completed in accordance with the terms and conditions of the scheme. Payments will then issue to eligible applicants on a weekly basis.

Applications received across all of the measures in Tranche 1 of TAMS 3 are currently being processed. Once the initial processing is completed all applications will be subject to a ranking and selection process, which is a regulatory requirement for all TAMS 3 applications.

To assist farmers that required the construction of slurry and manure storage facilities, or urgent animal welfare related investments for the winter of 2023/2024, I provided a priority access facility, and all applications received under this facility have now been assessed.

Approvals have now issued to eligible priority access cases, and my Department has also been in contact with farmers where there is a query on their application in order to resolve the query before approval can issue. In the case of other applications, approval letters have now commenced on a scheme-by-scheme basis, starting with the Solar Capital Investment Scheme.

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