There will be no extension to the TAMS Farm Safety Scheme deadline, the Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney says.

The Minister says as the TAMS scheme was introduced under the 2007-2013 RDP that very tight time-limits are applicable as far as the completion of work by farmers is concerned.

“Unfortunately, this means that all work must be completed and a payment claim lodged with the Department by August 31, 2015 in order to make the deadlines for payment established by regulation,” he says.

A total of €12.2m has been allocated to this scheme offering a 40% rate of aid, up to a maximum eligible investment ceiling of €20,000, that is, a maximum grant of €8,000.

The Minister says that he is pleased that there has been a high level of interest in the scheme, with over 6,200 applications received by the Department.

To date over 4,600 approvals have issued to applicants to undertake work under the scheme.

“The local offices of my Department are querying further applications with farmers with a view to ensuring that as many applicants as possible undertake measures to improve safety and save lives on their farms.”

A total of 6,299 applications for aid were received before the final closing date for TAMS in January, the Department says. These latest figures show that there are over 1,600 applications to still be approved.

Last month the Minister said processing of the applications for the Farm Safety Scheme involves a series of checks, including checking of farm building sketches to ensure that no internal slurry agitation points, which are a major safety concern, exist in buildings where investments are planned.