Written answers

Tuesday, 1 April 2025

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Grant Payments

Photo of Michael CahillMichael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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589. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an emergency fund for farm buildings damaged during the recent storm as a matter of extreme urgency, and take into consideration that farmers have suffered huge financial losses, that these works need to be carried out now, that a number of farmers do not have insurance and many more are not in TAMS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15048/25]

Photo of Martin HeydonMartin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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In acknowledgement of the urgency of support required following Storm Eowyn, I opened a new TAMS 3 tranche for a three-week period to deal specifically with storm-related damage on farms. This tranche opened on 7 March 2025, and closed on 28 March 2025.

The specific items in respect of which applications were accepted over this three-week period are as follows:

  • Backup PTO Generators (this covers all types of generators irrespective of the drive mechanism),
  • Sheep, Bovine and Equine Fencing,
  • Wood / Biomass Chippers and Mulchers.
TAMS currently provides grant aid for investment in new structures rather than repair of existing structures. However, in order to ensure that farms are more resilient in advance of future weather events, I recently announced plans to introduce grant aid support under TAMS for replacement of roofs. The application process for this specific investment will be available later this year. In the meantime, I would urge farmers to carry out a structural assessment of their farm buildings.

TAMS 3 is open to all farmers who hold a Department identifier and have a minimum of five hectares declared under the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS).

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