The closing date for tranche 3 of the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) is this coming Friday (April 12).
Tranche 3 is set to close to new applications at the close of business on Friday. The tranche opened on December 18.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is currently working through approving applications to tranche 1 of the scheme, which closed last June.
In the latest update on tranche 1 approvals, the department figures show that it is yet to decide on over 800 applications made under tranche 1.
The latest statistics published today (Monday, April 8) by the department show that 6,593 (80%) out of a total 8,203 applications have been now been given the green light.
Approvals under tranche 1 began issuing to farmers back in December, with department staff gradually making their way through the applications.
A further 64 applications were granted by DAFM officials since last Tuesday (April 2).
Along with the 862 deemed to currently be “in progress”, 544 applications have been rejected, while 204 have been withdrawn by farmers or their advisors.
The Animal Welfare Nutrient Storage Scheme, which was the most popular scheme under tranche 1, has the highest number of “in progress” applications at 389.
In terms of payments to farmers under the scheme, department figures on scheme payments show that €679,522 was paid out last week under TAMS, as part of the department’s weekly clearing of scheme payments.
TAMS reference costs
Recently, one member of the Seanad called for an “immediate review” of the reference costs currently applicable under TAMS.
There is a “massive gulf” between the costs estimated by the department and the “actual costs” on the ground, according to senator Paul Daly.
The senator said he is aware of a farmer who is building a new shed for which the department’s reference costs are in the region of €63,000. However, the actual costs would be €93,000, Daly said.
Instead of the 60% grant aid under TAMS, Senator Daly said that, in this case, the farmer would only receive a 41% grant aid due to the higher costs incurred by the farmer.
Senator Daly said that since the department’s reference costs for TAMS were reviewed last, building costs, especially for concrete and steel, rose by 80% and 25-30% respectively.