The Department of Agriculture will be applying to the EU Commission over coming weeks for approval to extend the list of eligible items for TAMS 11 grant aid to cover sheep fencing and grain storage.

EU member states can formally amend their Rural Development Plans once in each calendar year and the Department is availing of this mechanism to make the above changes to the scheme. It will submit the application ahead of a meeting of the relevant EU rural development committee scheduled for 18 November.

Meanwhile, IFA rural development chairman Flor McCarthy this week called on the Department to speed up processing of applications to the TAMS II Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme. Some 500 young farmers had applied by the closing date in late September but no approvals had issued by this week.

“Minister Coveney must get approvals out to these farmers immediately,” McCarthy said. “These farmers need to start work now if building work is to be completed this winter.”