Details of tranche 2 of the Dairy Equipment Scheme were announced last week by the Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney.

The Minister said Tranche 2 of the Dairy Equipment Scheme is now open to applications and the closing date is March 25, 2016.

A total of 778 applications were received for the first tranche of the Dairy Equipment Scheme in TAMS II. The first tranche of this scheme closed on October 16, 2015.

The Scheme is open to all farmers who meet the general eligibility criteria, offering a standard rate of aid of 40%.

The specific areas of investment will include milking machines, milk cooling and storage equipment, water heating and in-parlour feeding systems.

All applications must be made on-line, either by the farmer or by an adviser authorised to act on his or her behalf.

The Minister has announced that an indicative allocation of €50m was being made available under the terms of the Dairy Equipment Scheme over the full RDP period to 2020.

Also Read: See also: Who is eligible for the new Dairy Equipment Scheme

The specific areas of investment will include milking machines, milk cooling and storage equipment, water heating and in-parlour feeding systems.

The online application system with the Department of Agriculture will go live after a week, to allow time for farmers and advisors to familiarise themselves fully with the detail of the new Scheme before drawing up applications.

Applications must be submitted online through agfood.ie. Applicants who wish to apply online or through their agents must first be registered for online services (OLS) with the Department. Instructions for registration can be found online at www.agfood.ie or you can contact agfood online services helpline in the Department’s Portlaoise office Locall 18900252118 or 0761 064424 or email [email protected]

Where the Department identifier is registered in multiple names, applications submitted quoting the identifier are deemed to be submitted with the consent of all registered owners, e.g. in the following cases

  • Where the Department identifier is registered in more than one name ie Joint Herd number
  • In the case of Partnerships, by all Partners
  • In the case of companies, by the Company Directors.

Manual applications will not be accepted. Applications which are submitted in hard-copy format, including applications which are submitted by hand shall be rejected by the Department and returned to the applicant as ineligible.

Applicants will not be able to amend applications following submission online. For this reason applicants are advised to ensure that the application is completed fully and accurately prior to submission.

Documentation to be submitted as applicable

The following documents must be submitted in support of your application:

  • Farmyard layout plan
  • A copy of a company’s Companies Registration Office Certificate and Memorandum and Articles of Association
  • Grant of full and final planning permission including conditions or letter of exemption where applicable
  • Copies of drawings on which planning permission or declaration of exemption, including maps

The following documents must be submitted in support of your claim for payment:

  • Evidence of transfer of ownership of land (copy folio and maps) for each site. If registration
    has not been completed, copy of stamped Deed of Transfer and Property Registration
    Authority dealing number;
  • Evidence of leasehold title (copy of valid lease including maps) for each site
  • Marriage certificate in the case of a lease made to a spouse;
  • Evidence of completion of Teagasc Farm Safety Code of Practice or equivalent;
  • Tax Clearance Certificate
  • Contractor’s Tax Clearance Certificate
  • Receipts and bank statements if requested
  • Quality certificates ( Electrical, etc)

All accompanying documents which are required to support an application must be submitted by post or uploaded to this Department’s online system together with the checklist issued by Department’s online system within 10 working days of the online application.

An applicant may submit the required supporting documentation in one or more batches each of which must be accompanied by the relevant checklist.

A grant application will not be deemed to be valid until all supporting documentation required to accompany the application form has been received by the Department. Applications that do not have all
the required supporting documentation will be deemed ineligible.

The applicant will be requested to rectify any deficiencies in the supporting documentation. Where deficiencies are not rectified within 10 working days of a second reminder, such applications will be rejected.

All documentation not uploaded to this Department’s online system should be sent to the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine, Dairy Equipment Scheme Section, On-Farm Investments Schemes Division, Johnstown Castle Estate, Co. Wexford.

The Department strongly recommends that this supporting documentation be sent to the Department by registered post or other form of tracked mailing system.

Where supporting documentation is sent to the Department by ordinary post, it shall be entirely at the applicant’s own risk. Certificates of posting will not be accepted as proof of posting in such cases.

Any delay in the transmission of this accompanying documentation, however it is sent to the Department, shall be solely the responsibility of the applicant.

Applications not supported by all required documentation will be deemed ineligible.

Submission of drawings in relation to application

Where full and final planning permission or a declaration of exemption has been obtained, the following supporting documentation shall be lodged with the application for grant aid:

  • Grant of full and final planning permission and a full set of those drawings (stamped by the Local Authority) on which planning permission or a declaration of exemption was obtained. The drawings shall be to a specified scale, either 1:100 or 1:200.

Fixed Investments not requiring planning permission or detailed drawings require a farmyard layout plan to a scale of 1:500 showing the position of the proposed investments (structures and fixed equipment).

All dimensions shown on the drawings must be internal and in meters

The second tranche of applications will run for three months from the activation of the online system, closing in early October.

Grant aid will not be paid for (a) second-hand materials or equipment or (b) work carried out by contractors who do not comply with the tax clearance requirements laid down in paragraph 9 of the scheme.

List of eligible investments

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Queries of a technical nature relating to the specifications should be submitted by email to the following email address [email protected]