Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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314. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the current round of TAMS applications will be processed; when approvals will issue; and if the Department will commit to faster turnaround times going forward. [36701/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Targeted Agricultural 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 schemes operates in tranches where more than 45,000 applications have been received across the first eight tranches of TAMS 3. This compares to 15,144 applications received over the same number of tranches in the 2014-2022 TAMS 2 scheme.

Tranche 8 of TAMS 3 closed for applications on 6 June last with a total of 5,364 applications received during the tranche period. Applications received across all of the measures in Tranche 8 are currently being processed. Once the initial HQ processing is completed, all applications will be subject to a ranking and selection process, which is a regulatory requirement for all TAMS 3 applications.

Applications then undergo further processing at local office level, where a more detailed technical check is carried out.

Approvals are then issued to eligible applications in line with the Farmer's Charter agreement, within three months of ranking and selection and no longer than six months following the closure of a tranche.

Overall, the scheme has proved very popular, with an unprecedented level of applications received. My Department will continue to issue approvals in a timely manner to allow farmers sufficient time to proceed with their proposed on farm investments.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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315. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the average waiting time for payments under the young farmer capital investment scheme in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36702/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Targeted Agricultural 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 Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme is one of eleven schemes within TAMS 3, designed specifically to provide an enhanced grant aid for qualified young farmers.

An analysis of all payment claims received for The Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme in the last twelve months shows that of the 580 claims submitted since 27 June 2024 , 413 have received payment. The remaining 167 claims are currently undergoing further investigation following submission of their application for payment.

The average time from submission of claim to the issue of payment is 52 days, which is within the agreed parameters as set out in the Farmers' Charter.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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316. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers currently awaiting approval and payment under the organic farming scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36703/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) opened for new applications in October 2024. All applications from farmers who applied and were registered with either of the two Organic Control Bodies were accepted into the scheme provided they met the eligibility requirements. In the coming weeks, eligibility checks will commence on the new 630 applications following the submission of their 2025 BISS applications.

To date, over €57 million has been issued in 2024 OFS payments. Less than 5% of farmers are due their 2024 balance payment. These outstanding payments are being treated as a matter of priority.