As TAMS applicants generally have two years from the date of issue of Department approval to complete the investment works concerned, actual expenditure lags very significantly behind the financial commitments made by my Department under each Scheme at any particular time.
I am, of course, conscious of the important role played by the TAMS in ensuring that on-farm investment takes place in a number of specific sectors such as animal welfare, dairy equipment and sheep handling. My Department keeps the application levels, expenditure trends and Scheme provisions under constant review in order to ensure that the maximum benefit will be obtained from this part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme. As part of this process I have recently announced changes to the Sheep Fencing/Mobile Handling Equipment Scheme involving an increase of Reference Costs for the erection of certain types of sheep fencing in mountainous areas to take effect from 1 October 2013.