The first letters of offer should be sent out to farmers who applied for Tier 2 of the Farm Business Improvement Scheme (FBIS) later this summer, a spokesperson for DAERA has confirmed.

The scheme, which is for larger-scale investments up to a maximum 40% grant totalling £250,000, closed to applications on 10 March 2017. By that date, 189 applications had been received, with a significant number (40%) to build new poultry housing. Given the current timeframe it might be possible to get some work started this autumn, although it seems likely that a lot of the spend will be pushed into next year.

On enquiry, the DAERA spokesperson also confirmed that an initial £10m budget has been earmarked for this first tranche of Tier 2. In total, £25m has been set aside to cover the first two tranches of Tier 2, with the scheme due to reopen again towards the end of the year/early next year.

For the 189 farmers who applied to the first tranche, there is plenty of frustration at the length of time it is taking to process their applications. However, given the monies involved, and inevitable scrutiny as to how this public money is being spent, it was never going to be a rapid process. In the end, it might be that only around half of the applicants are successful this time around.

“Letters have been sent to all applicants informing them either that they are proceeding through the assessment process or, that they have not met eligibility checks with their appeal options explained. As part of the continuing assessment process, individual applicants are being contacted where necessary for clarification on elements of their application,” confirmed the DAERA spokesperson.

Planning

As highlighted in last week’s Irish Farmers Journal, there is also the issue of some applications getting held up in planning, with more work required to establish the possible impact of ammonia emissions from new livestock housing on surrounding habitats.

Earlier this month, DAERA indicated that it has given affected applicants more time to resolve issues in planning.

“The Department has not yet set a final deadline for the receipt of planning permission in relation to Tier 2 applications that are progressing through the planning system,” said the DAERA spokesperson. They also confirmed that they do not expect this to delay the process of issuing letters of offer to successful applicants, starting later this summer.

Perhaps the other issue for farmers will be whether the Department is willing or able to make changes, ahead of a second tranche of the scheme, that might make it more attractive to wider group of farmers.

“Major changes are not expected at this stage but this would be subject to the views of any incoming Minister” responded the spokesperson.