I propose to take Questions Nos. 51 and 78 together.
Through TAMS 3, I believe we have delivered a hugely exciting scheme that will deliver for farmers, for the entire agri-food sector and the wider rural economy over the next number of years. I have assigned €370m for TAMS between 2023 and 2027 with a strong focus on supporting this as well as subsequent generation of farmers.
There are, as the Deputy will be aware, exciting new developments for dairy farmers including higher grant aids of solar panels as well as a range of labour saving items.
TAMS 3 is a hugely exciting scheme with approximately 100 new investment items available to farm families compared to TAMS 2. There are now in the region of 300 investment items in TAMS 3.
On the dairy sector, the list of potential investments is larger than ever before. In addition to the investments being carried over from TAMS II there is a wide range of additional investments being introduced for farmers, including farm roadways, bovine fencing, health and fertility monitoring systems, automatic drafting systems, public road underpasses and milk recording systems.
When a farmer is planning to update their dairy system, investment in the milking machine is only a portion of the required investment. It is important that dairy farmers also invest in animal housing, slurry storage, fodder storage and making their holding more accessible. To this end the TAMS schemes are designed to encourage farmers to invest in these animal welfare and environmentally beneficial investments before investing in additional milking equipment. It is for this reason that there are limits on robotic milkers where farmers have previously benefitted from this under the TAMS scheme before.
Under our CAP strategic plan, we are obliged to provide for investments focused on green investments, which are environmental, animal welfare and biodiversity related investments. Additionally, Ireland’s SWOT Analysis and Needs Assessment for the CAP strategic plan identified the need to increase environmental efficiency in the agricultural sector through on farm investment and the adoption of new technologies; the need to support young farmers in accessing finance so they are in a better position to invest in and develop their farm enterprise; and the need to improve animal health and welfare, and farm safety on farms. Furthermore, this helps to ensure that TAMS 3 is better aligned with government priorities of delivering environmental public good outputs and is consistent with other policies that are trying to improve the sustainability of our dairy herd such as changes in Nitrates regulations.
Dairy farmers are also well catered for with additional separate investment ceiling for LESS at €40,000 and solar at €90,000 which are particular Government priorities to address ammonia emissions and renewable energy generation respectively. Additionally, it is important to recognise that young farmers also benefit from grant support at 60% rather than the standard 40%.
I have introduced some changes to TAMS under the TAMs 3 scheme to better align it with overall agriculture and environmental priorities.
