A number of important farm schemes will be opened over coming weeks by Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney, including Areas of Natural Constraint, the Beef Data and Genomics Programme, and TAMS II.

This comes after his Department received the long-awaited letter of comfort from the EU Commission on Ireland’s Rural Development Programme on Monday, essentially giving all schemes in the programme the go-ahead.

The Minister has already launched GLAS, one of the key schemes. “I am now in a position to begin the phased rollout of the schemes and supports in the RDP which will help to underpin economic growth and development throughout rural Ireland,” Minister Coveney said on Monday.

The €4 billion RDP is co-funded by the National Exchequer and the EU Commission.

Grant aid

TAMS is expected to open first for young farmers aged under 40. They will be able to apply for 40% grant aid on a list of investments including dairy equipment and slurry storage. The full list of eligible investment items is not yet known.

Any of these young farmers who started farming in the previous five years will be able to apply for 60% grant aid. Next, the Dairy Equipment scheme will open to all dairy farmers with other schemes to follow.

IFA president Eddie Downey this week said Minister Coveney must now open all rural development schemes without further delay. “It is now up to the Minister to ensure that farmers have access to all schemes under the RDP.”