Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 July 2023
30. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will devise a scheme to help farmers with particularly old tractors, which are in constant use but in a poor state of repair, to upgrade to newer and safer tractors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34484/23]
View answerA suite of ten schemes are available under TAMS 3 . Nine of these schemes were launched under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 and are co-funded under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). With the final Scheme Women Farmers Capital Investment Scheme launched under CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023-2027.
These schemes were launched between 22 February 2023 and 21 June 2023 and the first tranche closed on 30 June 2023, with the Tranche 2 opening on the 1 July.
As part of the launch of the launch of the TAMS 3 scheme, I have had a wide range of new investments included under the suite of ten TAMS 3 schemes. However, the budget for the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation scheme (TAMS) is now fully committed and support for replacement tractors is not included.
My Ministerial colleague, Martin Heydon T.D., who has specific responsibility for Farm Safety recently launched the National Farm Safety Measure 2023 which provides 60% grant aid for the purchase of quad bike helmets and replacement PTO shaft covers.
Regardless of the age of the tractor it is important that farmers invest in repair and maintenance to ensure that tractors are in a safe operating condition. No farmer should be putting themselves or others at risk of a serious incident by operating tractors that are not correctly maintained. It is the responsibility of every farmer to maintain all of their tractors and machinery in a safe operating condition.
