The Department of Agriculture is considering reopening TAMS I later this year to use the remaining funding in the scheme. Up to €10m could be available, arising from applications that are abandoned, etc. The Department is due to discuss the issue with the farm organisations in the coming weeks.

No decision has been made on which of the individual TAMS I schemes would be opened.

The Department has suggested that a farm health and safety scheme could operate. Any such idea would be met with a broad welcome from farmers.

Targets in such a scheme could include improved cattle handling facilities, etc. Some 85% of this funding comes from the EU and just 15% from the national exchequer, so both the Department and the farm organisations will be keen to see it made available to farmers.

Approvals

Meanwhile, farmers continue to complain that approvals under the TAMS I dairy equipment and sheep handling/equipment schemes are being held up in the Department’s Johnstown Castle offices.

Farmers claim to have been told by local offices that approvals are being held up for budgetary reasons. The issue is of great concern to dairy farmers as their window for carrying out work is the short dry period when milking parlours are not in use. Applicants to TAMS I face a deadline of August 2015 for completion of work. In the past week, the Department has written to applicants with various administrative details and also given applicants an opportunity to seek an extension up to next year’s deadline.