Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed is being called on to issue “urgent approval” for the 16th tranche of the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS).
Michael Biggins, the rural development chairperson for the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), said that many of the farmers who applied for this tranche – which ended in early January – “have vital investments to carry out on their farms, and need urgent approval from [Minister Creed’s] department”.
“For the last four tranches, only 80% of applicants have been approved. Unsuccessful applicants have been carried forward to subsequent tranches,” Biggins highlighted.
The carryover of some 311 applications on three occasions means farmers are facing a very uncertain situation with regard to their investments.
Biggins said that, at the recent Charter of Farmers’ Rights meeting – held last week – the IFA was told that some 2,500 farmers applied under tranche 16.
“644 cases will be carried into tranche 17, which closes in early April, unless the minister acts,” Biggins said.
He added: “The IFA is calling for this backlog to be sorted out now. Otherwise, this whole process of carryover will continue until the end of December next when the scheme is due to close.
Out of the €395 million allocation in the period 2014-2020, about €200 million has been spent so far. This means that there is still €195 million to spend between now and the end of 2021 / early 2022.
Biggins concluded by saying that the IFA will call for TAMS to be extended beyond year end – under EU transitional rules – adding that: “The leftover funding would ensure a continuity of farm investment.”