Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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560. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the average time to get claims open on the agfood TAMS system from the time an email is sent to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9159/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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All payment claims under the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) are made using the online Agfood system. Investments must be completed, payment claims submitted and relevant documents uploaded within one year of approval date, unless an extension has been granted, as outlined in the terms and conditions of the Scheme. An application for an extension can be submitted in cases where work has commenced but additional time is needed to complete investment work or to finalise supporting documentation.

My Department ensures that decisions and payments are made within the deadlines as agreed under the Department's Farmers' Charter of Rights 2023 -2027.

Payment will be approved within two months following the receipt of the claim for payment (including valid supporting documents) and the completion of investments in accordance with specification. Payment will issue 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.

If an issue arises during the checking of a payment claim, my Department will issue a letter to the applicant within 10 working days of the check being undertaken, setting out the nature of the query and likely consequences if not resolved.

As applications are dealt with on a case by case basis, and are dependent on all information being submitted within expected time lines, there may be occasions where more complex cases may not be dealt with within the agreed time frame.