Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 March 2014
159. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme, TAMS, scheme to date; if he will outline on a county basis any payments that have been made under each of the eligible schemes-headings; his views on the operation of and the future of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14310/14]
View answerThe Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Schemes (TAMS) which were established on the basis of the old 2007-2013 Rural Development Programme are now closed for the receipt of applications. Over 10,000 grant applications were received from farmers under the various TAMS prior to the relevant closing date for each scheme. All eligible applications which were received by my Department by the closing dates concerned either have already received or will receive an approval to proceed with the investment works concerned.
Over €31 million has been paid out under the TAMS, to date, and I would expect that significant further expenditure will take place under the schemes as farmers complete the investment works for which they have received an approval. A breakdown of the expenditure, to date, under each TAMS measure on a county-by-county basis will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
The consultation paper prepared by my Department in relation to the proposed measures for inclusion in Ireland’s Rural Development Programme for 2014-2020 includes a commitment to the introduction of further targeted investment schemes for the agricultural sector (TAMS II). I would hope to be able to include further details in relation to these measures in the Rural Development Programme itself when it is finalised in the near future.
