Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 March 2024
529. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware that TAMS applications are taking up to 24 months to be assessed by his Department and is causing great uncertainty in the industry including suppliers and contractors; if he will intervene to ensure that TAMS applications are processed in a timely way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10588/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3), which opened for applications in February 2023, provides grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings.
Applications received prior to the opening of TAMS 3 have all been assessed by my Department. These fall under the TAMS II scheme, which closed for applications in December 2022. My Department has been in contact with those applicants that have not yet received approval to outline deficiencies in their applications that are preventing them from being progressed further.
As mentioned, Tranche 1 of TAMS 3 opened in February 2023 with the Solar Capital Investment Scheme, and closed on 30 June 2023. More than 8,200 applications were received across ten separate investment measures (almost four times the average number received per tranche under TAMS 2). To date 5,635 approval letters for Tranche 1 applications have issued.
Tranche 2 closed on 19 January 2024, with more than 9,000 applications received. As was the case under Tranche 1, a priority approval mechanism is available for those who require urgent approval to proceed with works. Applicants or their advisors can contact their Department of Agriculture local office in this regard. Their application will then be assessed to determine whether there is an urgent need to issue approval, and prioritised accordingly.
