All eligible applications under tranche 1 of the new Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) are set to receive approval, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has confirmed.
Minister Charlie McConalogue said that a total of 8,241 applications were submitted under tranche 1 of TAMS 3 and these are currently undergoing “eligibility” checks.
All of the applications will then have to undergo “a thorough processing check at local office level” according to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
It has detailed that because of the “unprecedented level of interest in tranche 1 of TAMS 3”, it is likely that approvals will issue by scheme – and this will begin with the Solar Capital Investment Scheme.
TAMS 3
There had been criticism that farmers had been left in the dark about their TAMS 3 applications which had been submitted at the end of June.
Last month the Sinn Féin spokesperson on agriculture, Claire Kerrane, warned that thousands of farmers were “stuck in limbo, where they have no idea if or when they might be able to start planned works”.
The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) had also called on the minister to immediately approval all eligible applications made in the first tranche of the new scheme.
Minister McConalogue said today (Friday, September 8) that he could confirm “that 100% of eligible applications will be approved for funding”.
Over 50% of all investments under tranche 1 are for mobile equipment only.
According to the minister “the announcement should give confidence to the greater than 50% of applicants with only mobile investments to proceed with their planned purchases.”
Priority approval
He also detailed that In the case of farmers who need to construct slurry and manure storage facilities, or urgent animal welfare-related investments required for the winter of 2023/2024, they can now apply to DAFM for priority approval up to September 15, 2023.
The application must be made through the submission of a specific letter which is available on the DAFM’s website.
Farmers have to set out clear reasons why they are applying for priority approval and must start the investment work within two months of receiving the priority approval or it will automatically lapse.
TAMS 3 applicants for fixed investments must wait for written approval from DAFM before they start any work otherwise they could be liable for a 100% penalty applied to any of these works.