Time is running out to get an application in for the current tranche of the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS II).
Applicants have until Friday, November 5 to get an application for this current tranche (23), with tranche 24 opening the day after on November 6.
Uptake of the scheme continues to remain strong, with the latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), published last month showing that €43.4 million has been paid in respect of completed investments to date this year.
Total payments of over €305 million had been issued in respect of over 22,172 approved applications for completed investments since the opening of TAMS II in 2015.
TAMS scheme for 2022
The hugely popular scheme has been much talked about this year, first of all with regards to the uncertainty of its continuation in late 2020 coming into 2021.
And then regarding the rising costs of building materials this year and that a review of the reference costs under TAMS II, needed to be looked in light of the rising costs which saw the costsof jobs rise by 20-30%.
However despite a review being carried out which saw increases in reference costs, much was said about how despite this, that the increases in reference costs still didn’t reflect the increases seen in building materials – which has seen farmers pull the plug, for now, on going ahead with jobs on their farm this year.
It even saw building contractors reprice jobs and in some cases not even given a quote for a job, as costs continued to go up at a fast rate throughout the year.