Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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615. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide information relating to grants available to farmers for the construction of livestock underpasses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13667/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) provides grant aid for livestock underpasses under public roads in the Animal Welfare Safety and Nutrient Storage Scheme (AWNSS), Organic Capital Investment Scheme (OCIS), Women Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (WFCIS) and the Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (YFCIS).

A TAMS application for an underpass must be accompanied by the appropriate planning permission for the project. An engineer's report is required to be submitted with the application, together with detailed drawings and farm field layout plan. The engineer's report must be completed by a Chartered Engineer with experience in the design of bridges and underpasses. The report is required to ensure that the underpass is correctly designed, so that the underpass is structurally sound and that all road safety issues have been addressed.

A Road Opening Licence is required prior to the commencement of any works on the public road. All works shall be completed in accordance with the Road Opening Licence and the Guidelines for Managing Openings in Public Roads.

The processes in respect of road openings are set out in the Guidelines for Managing Openings in Public Roads, available on the Road Management Office (RMO) website. The application process is managed through the MapRoad Roadworks Licensing system (MRL).

Further details can be found on my Department's website in Specification 199, which details the Minimum Specification for Farm Roadways and Underpasses.