Written Answers Nos. 101-114
101. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what funding he intends to request for the agricultural sector from the announced climate and nature fund; how he will determine how this fund will be spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46727/23]
View answerOn Budget day, my colleague the Minister for Finance, Michael McGrath, T.D. announced the proposed establishment of an Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund (ICNF).
The objectives of this Fund are, to support expenditure by the State in times of significant deterioration in the public finances, with the intention that the resources would be used to support capital expenditure and projects to achieve climate and nature goals.
The proposed Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill will establish the fund.
The Bill is included on the list of bills for publication in the Government’s autumn legislation programme and the General Scheme of the Bill was published on the Department of Finance’s website on 12 October: www.gov.ie/en/publication/75000-general-scheme-of-the-future-ireland-fund-and-infrastructure-climate-and-nature-fund/
The broad outline of how the fund will operate is contained in the General Scheme. Heading 15 provides an outline of the process for how the fund will be dealt with in relation to climate and nature goals, but this will be further worked out during the drafting of the Bill. Department of Finance officials are working with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to prepare the Bill based on the General Scheme.
At this point, it would be premature to identify potentially relevant projects.
102. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will introduce a fodder support scheme for farmers in the Shannon Callows who lost their fodder due to the flooding of the Callows in summer 2023 and who are now without fodder for the winter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46302/23]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that in June 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, I launched the €56 million Fodder Support Scheme. The aim of the scheme was to incentivise farmers, in particular drystock farmers, to grow more fodder (silage and/or hay) to reduce the risk of animal welfare issues over the 2022 winter and 2023 spring.
In November 2022, I launched the 2023 Fodder Support Scheme and made an advance payment of €30 million under the 2023 Fodder Scheme in December 2022.
Both the 2022 and 2023 schemes were a recognition of the impact of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and its impact on the availability of imported animal feed and on the price of agricultural inputs, especially chemical fertiliser.
At this time, there are no plans to introduce a further fodder support scheme for farmers in the Shannon Callows.
103. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will detail the contacts his Department has had with the EU, other Departments and other State agencies recently in relation to the nitrates directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46996/23]
View answerThe Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) is the lead authority for the Nitrates Regulations and the associated Nitrates Action Programme (NAP). My Department works very closely with DHLGH in this regard.
Officials from both Departments attend regular meetings of the European Commission's Nitrates Committee and Expert Group. To date in 2023, three of these meetings were scheduled (March, June and September). Officials from both my Department and DHLGH attended these meetings.
In addition, officials from both Departments have met the Commission Services responsible for the Nitrates Directive, in January, June, July and September of this year to discuss specific matters relating to Ireland's Nitrates Derogation and NAP. A further meeting solely involving Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Officials took place in March.
In addition to regularly meeting at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council, I met Commissioner Sinkevicius at the start of September along with Officials from DHLGH and my own Department. That bilateral was focussed on Ireland's current Nitrates Derogation.
At a national level, officials from my own Department and DHLGH meet very regularly to discuss matters in relation to water quality and the Nitrates Directive.
These Officials also jointly chair the Nitrates Expert Group (NEG), comprising of senior scientific experts from both Departments, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Teagasc. The NEG provides myself and Minister O'Brien, with scientific advice on measures under the NAP. NEG meetings are held regularly throughout the year, and more frequently during a full or mid-term review of the NAP.
Separately, my Officials engage Teagasc on a regular basis to provide scientific data to inform and support policy decisions under the NAP as well as interpretation of matters relating to Ireland's Nitrates Derogation and the Nitrates Directive. My Officials also oversee Teagasc's Agricultural Catchment's Programme which was set up to monitor the impacts of Ireland's Nitrates Derogation.
In May 2023 I established the Agriculture Water Quality Working Group consisting of stakeholders and representative across the agri-food industry. The Working Group includes representatives from Teagasc and DHLGH working with a number of my own Officials. The EPA are participating as observers on that Working Group which has met six times to date.
A number of engagements happen on an on-going across this work area, where the Government Departments and State Agencies work alongside the European Commission with the common objective of improving our water quality.
104. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the sexual and mental health supports he has put in place for young farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47006/23]
View answerI thank the Deputy for this question on such an important topic.
The safety, health and wellbeing of our farmers is a priority for this Government. This year, dedicated funding of €2.5m was allocated for a range of initiatives that included support to promote increased awareness of the importance of health and wellbeing among the farming community.
My Department, along with the HSE and the Department of Health, is co-funding a farmers physical and mental health awareness programme called ‘On Feirm Ground’. The programme provided training for agricultural advisors to engage with and signpost farmers to supports in relation to all areas of health and wellbeing. The new On Feirm Ground 2 programme, launched recently by my ministerial colleagues, Minister of State with responsibility for Farm Safety Martin Heydon, and Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Hildegarde Naughton, will be rolled out to farm advisors, private veterinary practitioners, Department staff and other professionals who work with farmers and are ideally situated to signpost farmers to relevant health services.
My Department provided funding to eight European Innovation Partnership projects to the value of €1.8m, including four projects that focused on farmers’ mental health. Additional funding was made available earlier this year to extend these projects.
I have also provided support for research into farmer mental health. The DCU led FarmHealth Research Project is examining farmers mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviour to inform the development of an educational mental health intervention for farmers. In the most recent Thematic Research Call, research proposals were sought on a range of themes including proposals focusing on farmer’s safety, health and wellbeing. The successful proposals will be announced shortly.
My Department supports the work of the HSA’s Farm Safety Partnership and was involved in the publication of the “Farmers’ Health and Wellbeing - A Guide to Staying Healthy While Farming” booklet, which includes a section on coping with stress and minding your mental health. The booklet was included in the 2023 BISS packs issued to over 122,000 farmers.
I want to reassure the Deputy that farm safety, health and wellbeing is a priority for me and my colleague, Minister of State Martin Heydon T.D, who has special responsibility in this area.
105. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what efforts have been made to improve the welfare of greyhounds in the racing industry; who is responsible for assessing those welfare standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46988/23]
View answerRásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
RCÉ has informed my Department that it is continuously engaged in efforts to improve the welfare of greyhounds in Ireland.
The measures adopted include:
• Greyhound Care Fund, which is dedicated to funding a variety of initiatives for the care and welfare of greyhounds. 50% of all existing sponsorships, 10% of all admissions, 5% of net Tote income and, in addition, 2% of all prize money, matched by an equal contribution from RCÉ is paid into the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust.
• Supports to owners for the preparation of greyhounds for rehoming by way of financial assistance towards the cost of neutering each dog, carrying out health checks including dental examinations and procedures, and vaccinations on each dog.
• Greyhound Care Centres, which provide high standard accommodation for greyhounds and facilitates house-training to allow greyhounds to adapt to a range of different home environments. There are currently two care centres in operation, one in Co. Limerick and the other in Co. Kildare.
• Foster Care Centres that help provide care and welfare for retired greyhounds awaiting transfer to new homes. There are currently seven foster care centres throughout the country.
• The Irish Retired Greyhound Trust, which was established and operated by RCÉ, rehomes greyhounds and promotes them as domestic pets. Private greyhound rehoming organisations have also received financial support from IRGT to assist in their costs in preparing a retired greyhound for rehoming.
• In addition to domestic rehoming, engagement in intensive efforts to find homes for retired greyhounds abroad, including subsidising the costs incurred.
• The Greyhound Injury Support Scheme, which provides financial assistance for the treatment of injured greyhounds.
• The provision of a confidential telephone line to enable reports of welfare breaches to be reported for investigation.
• Investigation and follow-up on all reports of possible breaches of welfare by trained welfare officers.
• An intensive inspection regime conducted on greyhound establishments. The aim is to inspect all establishments at least once every 1.5 years. Inspections are both random and targeted.
• Kennel improvement scheme which provides assistance to existing kennels to improve their facilities thereby helping ensure higher welfare standards.
• The presence of RCÉ track stewards at all race meetings to help ensure compliance with all racing regulations including welfare of participating greyhounds.
• The provision of dog utility ambulances at tracks to assist in the care of injured greyhounds during races.
• A veterinary surgeon is present throughout race time at all tracks on race nights to ensure only fit, healthy dogs can race and to attend to any dogs injured during the course of the races.
Welfare standards are continuously assessed by RCÉ staff, overseen by the Director of Regulation and the Director of Veterinary Services.
106. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has estimated the likely financial impact of climate-induced flooding and other natural disasters on agriculture in the State in the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47010/23]
View answerMy Department recognises the impact that climate-induced flooding and other natural disasters is causing to the everyday activities of farmers in Ireland.
One of our Statement of Strategy objectives within DAFM is to promote measures to support farmers viability and resilience. Under Goal 3, the statement commits to developing a policy framework to improve viability and resilience, within the Agricultural Sector, with the aim of putting climate adaptation at the centre of resilience planning.
The National Adaptation Framework outlines details of costing impacts of extreme weather events (including wild fires, drought, flood and storm events), however Information on costs at the sectoral level is being developed over time. The costs for the agricultural sector by 2050, based on an aggregate of costs at EU level have been estimated at between €1-2 billion per year.
Under the National Adaptation Framework my Department developed a Sectoral Adaptation Plan which aims to build resilience to the effects of climate change and weather related events in the agriculture, forestry and seafood sector. The plan will contribute to the achievement of the Department’s Statement of Strategy Goals.
The four overarching objectives to help achieve this goal are centred around:
• ensuring a joined up approach to adaptation planning;
• raising awareness of the impacts of climate change;
• reducing vulnerability and
• embedding adaptation planning in decision making.
A number of measures have been included in the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 and the ACRES eco scheme to address changes in the climate and build resilience and adaptive capacity within the Agricultural sector.
107. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when approvals will issue in respect of tranche 1 of TAMS 3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46951/23]
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. The scheme will be in place for a period of five years, until 2027, with an indicative budget of €370 million.
Tranche 1 of TAMS 3 which closed on 30th June 2023, has proved very popular, with 8,241 applications received (almost four times the average number received per tranche under TAMS 2). Applications received across all of the measures in Tranche 1 are currently being processed. To facilitate investment on farms, I announced in September that all eligible applications under Tranche 1 would be approved or payment.
More than 50% of all investments under tranche 1 are for mobile equipment. I also announced that farmers who applied for mobile equipment may purchase the equipment, at their own risk, subject to verification of eligibility in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of the relevant schemes.
Due to the unprecedented level of interest, it is intended that approvals will issue by scheme, starting with the Solar Capital Investment Scheme in the next two weeks.
To assist farmers that require the construction of slurry and manure storage facilities for the winter of 2023/2024, or urgent animal welfare related investments, I initiated a priority approval process which was open to farmers up to 15 September 2023. Assessment has commenced on all applications with approvals having issued to eligible priority cases.
It is expected that approvals will commence issuing to other schemes starting with the Solar Investment Scheme in the next two weeks.
108. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what proposals are in place to assist suckler and beef farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46904/23]
View answerEnhancing the contribution of cattle rearing and finishing enterprises to the overall agri-food sector and to our rural economy is a real priority of mine and of this Government.
I am committed to the long-term sustainability of our beef and suckler sectors. I want to see the sector have a strong future for farmers as well as everyone in the industry. Our beef is in demand across the globe and we are committed to adding value to the sector for the benefit of our farm families.
Budget 2024 demonstrated my unwavering commitment to our beef farmers. My aim in the budget was to ensure support for our farm and fishing families. The significant funding provided supports the sector’s environmental ambition and on-farm sustainability while at the same time supporting farmer incomes. Budget 2024 supports farm families as we implement the targeted supports for farmers provided in the largest ever €10 billion CAP Strategic Plan (CSP).
In this context I was pleased to provide targeted supports of more than €113m for the livestock sectors. Specifically I will continue to provide the €200 per cow payment delivered in 2023. Beef farmers will also be well placed to benefit from the enhanced supports for environmental measures and the supports available for farmers transitioning to organic farming.
The Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme provides support to beef farmers to improve the environmental sustainability of the national beef herd and to improve the genetic merit of the suckler herd. The funding of €256 million in the lifetime of this programme is a recognition of the importance of the suckler sector to Ireland’s economy. Payment rates are €150 for the first 22.5 cows and €120 for the remainder up to the maximum payable area. Average payment in SCEP is likely to exceed €3,000. First year payments will commence from 11 December 2023.
In addition we will continue to deliver in 2024 an exchequer funded beef scheme. Combined these schemes will deliver over €70m in the pockets of beef farmers this year, and crucially allow me to continue providing the €200 per suckler cow payment achieved in 2023.
My officials are currently examining how the additional funding for 2024 can best be utilised to benefit beef farmers. I will elaborate on my specific proposals to further assist the sector upon completion of this process.
I remain fully committed to supporting the beef sector and, in particular, the farming families who are integral to the environmental, economic and social sustainability of rural communities.
109. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for further details on the increased budget being made available for the ewe premium scheme; the amount per ewe; when will it be paid; if the criteria or terms and conditions will change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46301/23]
View answerSupport for the Irish sheep farmers is a key priority of mine including in the recent budget negotiations. My Department already provides significant support to the sheep sector under the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP), through a targeted scheme for sheep farmers - the Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS) - as well as other CSP interventions such as ACRES and the Organic Farming Scheme which are open to both specialist sheep and mixed beef and sheep enterprises.
In addition to the substantial payments under the CSP specifically targeted at the drystock sector, I have also been able to secure a further €15m of exchequer funding for the sheep sector for 2024. This additional funding, when combined with the current €12 payment to SIS participants, will result in a payment equivalent to €20 per ewe to beneficiaries in 2024. This increased provision will be the highest ever payment provided to our vitally important sheep sector.
In announcing details of my Department’s budget for 2024, I emphasised that my primary focus was on protecting farmer incomes while at the same time funding the agriculture sector’s environmental ambition and on-farm sustainability. The significantly improved payment announced in Budget 2024 will assist in alleviating input cost inflation for sheep enterprises which have greatly impacted on their profitability despite the record returns available to producers in recent years.
My officials are currently considering the potential measures by which the extra funding can best be directed to sheep farmers in 2024 taking into account EU State Aid rules governing these types of support schemes. I will be in a position to announce further details on measure design and implementation arrangements once this process has concluded and outline to farmers how this money will be directed to them in 2024.
110. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on the Government’s review of the independent review on ash dieback and its intended response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46726/23]
View answerI commissioned an independent review of the Department’s Ash dieback support schemes in June 2023 to review the existing and previous supports available to landowners with ash plantations funded under the National Forestry Programme which are now infected with Ash dieback.
The Terms of reference for the Review included reviewing existing supports for Landowners affected by Ash Dieback in grant aided plantations; engaging with relevant stakeholders and landowners and making recommendations on the effectiveness of supports.
This grouping comprising Dr Matthew Crowe, Mr Jerry Grant and Ms Jo O’Hara have submitted their report to me last month and made thirteen specific recommendations.
The recommendations range from establishing a new paradigm, to process changes, a further Departmental review of state aid regulations and several financial recommendations within the context of that review.
I am currently considering the report in detail and intend to publish an implementation plan shortly.
In the meantime, several of the recommendations in relation to process and site clearance and grant costs as well as lessons to be learned are in hand through the New Forestry Programme and the Reconstitution Scheme for Ash Dieback 2023-27 and I would encourage ash owners to engage with the new programme scheme and assure them that will not be disadvantaged by doing so.
For information, the new scheme contains the following features:
• 100% increase in the site clearance grant rate, from €1,000 to €2,000;
• Enhanced replanting grant rates under the new Forestry Programme 2023-2027;
• Therefore for clearing your site and replanting, currently under the new Programme the range of payment to landowners entering the scheme is from €5858 up to €10,555/ha
• In addition, those applicants whose sites are still in premium will continue to receive the premium due for the remaining years;
• Furthermore, In addition, for those in receipt of farmer rate of premium, a top up premium equal to the difference between the equivalent forestry type and the existing premium will be paid. This will be calculated for the remaining years left in premium and paid in a single sum.
Specialised training for stakeholders and information meetings for the public, as part of the communications for the new programme, will help communicate and explain the processes and the replanting options for ash and the generous terms of new reconstitution scheme.
Any new financial assistance will have to be compliant with State Aid regulations and the Code of Public Expenditure and these elements are currently being examined in detail by my Department.
I am confident that we can clear sites of dead ash and replant these areas with alternative species and move forward with the ambitious and well-funded new forestry programme 2023-2027.
111. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason there is a need for a separate Irish injured jockeys fund, qualified riders accident fund company and jockeys accident fund; the extent of Government funding for each annually in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47011/23]
View answerHorse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry.
The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) is the regulatory body for all horseracing in Ireland. The IHRB is a company limited by guarantee. The Turf Club and the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee transferred the regulatory functions together with related assets and liabilities to the company under a business transfer agreement on 1 January 2018. The role of the IHRB as the regulatory body for horseracing is provided for under the Horse Racing Ireland Act 2016 and subsequent Statutory Instruments. However, the body itself remains a private entity.
Section 11 of the Horse Racing Ireland Act 2016 provides for a funding mechanism to be in place under which the costs of integrity services provided by the IHRB are guaranteed by HRI based on an agreed annual budget. A significant amount of the annual funding allocated to the IHRB from HRI, is derived from funding HRI itself receives from my Department via the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund. Formal oversight of the IHRB by HRI is underpinned by a Service Level Agreement.
HRI has informed my Department that the IHRB provides personnel support for the following funds or charities which are administered by the Turf Club or the INHSC:
• The Jockeys Accident Fund
• The Qualified Riders Accident Fund
• The Irish Injured Jockeys
The bodies in question each serve different functions. The Irish Injured Jockeys (IIJ) is a charity set up in 2013 by jockeys, for jockeys and qualified riders and their dependents. Funding is by donation and fundraising events. The Jockeys Accident Fund (JAF) provides income support to jockeys and it not a charity due to the provision of income support. The JAF supports professional jockeys only. The Qualified Riders Accident Fund (QRAF) provides income support to qualified riders only. Similar to the JAF it is not a charity due to the nature of the supports given.
HRI has informed my Department that it made donations totalling €35,700 towards the JAF, €6,300 towards the QRAF and €2,775 towards the IIJ in the five year period from 2018 to 2022.
112. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of his Department’s direct financial contribution to the UN Committee on World Food Security, the foremost inclusive international intergovernmental platform on food security and nutrition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46834/23]
View answerThe Committee on World Food Security (CFS) is an important point of engagement for Ireland with the Rome-based agencies to ensure all stakeholders work together to ensure global food security and nutrition. Most notably, Ireland has recently contributed to the development of the "Voluntary Guidelines on Food Systems and Nutrition" and the "Voluntary Guidelines on Gender Equality and Women’s and Girls’ Empowerment in the Context of Food Security and Nutrition". The CFS receives its core funding equally from the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
My Department leads on Ireland’s engagement with the FAO and the WFP, with the Department of Foreign Affairs leading on IFAD. Under the Ireland-WFP Strategic Partnership Agreement for the period 2022-2024, my Department has committed funding of €75 million to WFP, of which almost 50% is fully flexible and un-earmarked. My Department also makes annual core membership funding of some €1.61 million to FAO, which is also fully flexible and un-earmarked. In addition, my Department provides funding to FAO in respect of specific projects and last year this was €1.75 million, totalling some €3.36 million for 2022.
This predictable flexible contribution from Ireland enables both the UN agencies for which my Department has responsibility to help fund CFS to undertake their important and ambitious multi-year programme of work.
113. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider introducing a fuel assistance support scheme for the fishing and aquaculture industries similar to such schemes that other European Union members states have implemented, given the increasing price of fuel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46992/23]
View answerI continue to be very aware of the challenges being faced by the seafood sector arising from the increased costs of marine fuel.
As previously stated in response to this issue I met with industry’s representative groups throughout the latter half of 2022 to discuss the matter. I also reported on the development of support schemes in line with the recommendations of the Seafood Task Force, which I established to examine the implications arising from the EU/UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) for the Irish fishing industry and the coastal communities particularly dependent upon it. Working very closely with industry, a number of short and longer term supports were developed to enable our seafood sector and coastal communities to address and overcome the significant challenges faced following Brexit. These schemes reflect the initiatives identified by the Taskforce that could be taken to provide supports for development and restructuring so as to ensure a profitable and sustainable fishing fleet, and to identify opportunities for jobs and economic activity in coastal communities dependent on fishing.
To date I have made some €271.3 million in support available to the Irish fishing fleet and seafood sector. A further four liquidity schemes worth €34 million are in the final stages of formal State Aid approval. Such measures will help ensure the resilience of the sector to pressures created by elevated input prices, such as fuel. I will continue to monitor fuel prices and while I note that there has been a drift upwards in recent months, prices remain significantly below the peaks of last summer.
Beyond this, my Department’s European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund Seafood Development Programme is commencing its implementation. That €258 million programme will continue to provide a wide range of supports for fishers and the wider development of the seafood sector.
114. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of the restrictions in KVA offered by the ESB for maximum export capacity (details supplied) in relation to farmers availing of the solar capital investment scheme under TAMS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46948/23]
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.
The Solar Capital Investment scheme is one of these measures which provides support to farmers wishing to invest in renewable energy. To encourage on-farm renewable technology uptake and usage, grant aid is provided to assist farmers in maximising their contribution to the production of renewable energy through the installation of Solar PV technology together with battery storage on Irish farms.
I am aware of the potential for restrictions on the export capacity for any individual farm seeking to install solar panels on their holding. ESB Networks may place restrictions on the maximum export from a farm depending upon the capacity of the local Network to take electricity from renewal sources. It is my understanding that the restrictions are due to the capacity of the local power lines, the size of the relevant transformer, the number of customers being fed by the line, the distance from the transformer, the presence of any other solar panels on the line and other loading issues.
ESB Networks review each application for the connection of solar panels to the Network and determine the maximum export capacity for each installation of solar panels. It is my understanding the ESB Networks are working to develop the electricity network to maximise the amount of renewable electricity production systems that can be connected to the electricity grid.
I would also like to point out that it is a requirement of the TAMS 3 Solar Capital Investment Scheme that applicants may only be grant-aided on systems that provide power up to the annual average demand on the holding. On that basis, farmers submitting an application for grant-aid under the TAMS 3 Solar Capital Investment scheme should be installing a system which equates to their annual on-farm demand.
