TAMS Expenditure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 February 2018

Thursday, 1 February 2018

Ceisteanna (239)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

239. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline the outcome for the Exchequer and European funds committed to the TAMS 2 scheme, whereby approved applications that have yet to be drawn down will have expired by end of 2019 but which were approved in 2016 (details supplied); and whether it is the case that, if drawdown and expenditure do not meet expected levels, scheme funding cannot be automatically carried forward to the following year. [5156/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The seven measures under TAMS II are co-funded under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 and is subject to the usual capital investment financial provisions. The level of approvals that have issued to date under the Scheme, which now stand at 12,758, are a testament to the success of the online application system which facilitates a far speedier turnaround of applications than under a manual based system.

However, the approvals have not as yet translated into a substantial level of claim activity. The funding committed to the TAMS II Schemes is €395m over the course of RDP. All approved participants who have completed their approved works are urged to submit a payment claim to draw down the available funding.

If an applicant has an approval which expires it is open to him/her under the Terms and Conditions of the TAMS Schemes to submit a new application. The situation as regards the later years of the scheme will be kept under review. Priority for now is to maximise expenditure for eligible applications for payment.