Over 3,400 new applications were received under tranche 18 of the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS), with almost 1,500 further applications rolled over from tranche 17.
Tranche 18 closed for applications on August 21 last. 3,448 new applications to the scheme were received under this tranche.
On top of that, 1,466 applications were rolled over from tranche 17, bringing the total number of applications for consideration arising from tranche 18 to 4,914.
Minister McConalogue went on to note that, of the €395 million allocated to TAMS II over the course of the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme, €237 million has been paid out, while a further €73 million in approvals has yet to be claimed by applicants.
The minister said that “expenditure is being monitored closely on a weekly basis”.
He also called on applicants with existing approvals who do not intend to go ahead with investments to contact the department so the funds can be directed to other applicants “due to the tight budgetary situation”.
“My department has raised this with farm organisations and with the advisory bodies who have a key role to play in communicating this message to farmers,” Minister McConalogue added.
Tranche 17
An update on TAMS issued last month from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine shows that 4,953 new applications were received under tranche 17, which was kept open for two months longer than usual due to Covid-19, closing on June 5.
As well as this, 648 applications were rolled over from the previous tranche, which meant that 5,601 total applications were considered in tranche 17. As pointed out above, 1,466 of these were rolled over to tranche 18.