Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 October 2023
229. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will review the TAMS 3 rules as in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47103/23]
View answerThe Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) provides grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings.
TAMS 3 is a demand led scheme with budgetary constraints. The terms and conditions of the scheme have been devised to be as inclusive as possible whilst adhering to relevant EU regulations.
The Women Capital Investment Scheme is open to farmers who are female, aged between 18 and 67 at time of application, own or have leasehold to the site with a minimum of 5 hectares declared on BPS/BISS or 15 hectares in the case of tillage land. Eligible applicants must be named on the herd number of the holding, and must have submitted an application on BPS for the 2022 Reference Year either as an individual/Registered Farm Partnership or Company.
The person named is farming as part of a Joint Venture arrangement. To qualify for the 60% grant aid as a female farmer, the herd would need to be solely in the name of the female or as part of a Registered Farm Partnership. In the case of a Registered Farm Partnership, to satisfy the criteria, a declaration is required that the female exercises effective and long-term control over the partnership in terms of decisions related to management, benefits, and financial risks either solely or jointly together with other members of the partnership.
It is still open to the applicant to apply for any of the other TAMS 3 Schemes, which have grant rates of 40-60% depending on the scheme conditions and eligibility criteria.
