A farm lobby group has called on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, to issue approvals to all farmers who applied in Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Schemes (TAMS) tranche 14, which closed nearly four weeks ago on July 5.
The Irish Farmers’ Association’s (IFA’s) rural development chairman, Joe Brady, has said: “Farmers who applied are anxious to proceed with work, particularly as the weather is ideal for construction and works can be completed well in advance of next winter.”
These farmers, along with those who applied for the first time, “cannot be denied approval to proceed with work,” he stressed.
Brady pointed out that in the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme (RDP), €395 million has been provided for TAMS.
Of this, €142 million has been paid out to 9,672 farmers. This means that with about 18 months to go in the current RDP, less than 40% of funds have been spent.
Concluding, Brady said: “Holding up approvals is totally unacceptable. At the rate of expenditure to date, the full allocation will not be used up.”
New TAMS energy grants
Earlier in the year, a series of new grants available for Irish farms under the TAMS on-farm investment scheme were announced by Michael Creed.
The measure will make €10 million worth of grants available for energy efficiencies and renewable energy technologies, following a comprehensive review of the TAMS scheme designed to increase its focus on sustainability.
Speaking on Friday, March 15, Minister Creed said: “A comprehensive review of the investment items available under TAMS has been carried out by my department.
The review factored in the latest available technologies to further drive energy efficiency at farm level and reduce electricity use on farms.
“This is part of the wider drive to position Irish agriculture as a global leader in sustainability and these investments will further enhance those credentials.”
The new grants will be available for farmers from the next tranche of TAMS opening April 5 next.