Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 May 2023
587. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if grant aid will be made available in the interest of animal welfare for the heavy horse working harness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24239/23]
View answerThe Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) provides funding for capital investments on farms and will be in place for five years. There are a range of new improvements to TAMS including increased grant aid rates, investment ceilings, new investments, and new support categories which will align it more with the priorities in agriculture including environmental , renewable energy and facilitating farm modernisation.
Farmers using a traditional working horse are eligible for TAMS funding for stables and all other equine investments that are included in TAMS 3. TAMS 3 is intended for farm modernisation, improving competitiveness and working and production conditions on farms rather than supporting traditional systems of operation and as such supports for horse powered farming equipment are outside the scope of scheme.
