It has been three years since the traditional agricultural modernisation scheme (TAMS) II opened for applications. It has generated a lot of interest so far, with over 14,955 approvals issued to farmer applicants.

Since opening for applications, the scheme has been divided into a series of three-month-long tranches.

When a tranche opens, farmers can make an application for a particular investment covered under the scheme. When the particular tranche closes, it is ranked and assessed and if the application is successful, the Department will issue the applicant with approval to go ahead with the investment.

Investments covered range from items such as dairy equipment and large livestock housing to smaller items such as headscoops and sheep adoption units, for example.

The 10th tranche of TAMS II closed on 8 June 2018 and a total of 1,829 applications were received.

Cork had the highest number of applications at 313 and both Dublin and Leitrim had the lowest at 12 applications each.

According to a Department spokesperson, the administrative checking of these applications is well under way and the first approvals will issue shortly for this tranche.

The minimum approval per application under all schemes is €2,000 (the sum total of investments made in an application must be €2,000 or more excluding VAT).

You can apply as many times as you like until you reach the investment ceiling of €80,000, or €160,000 in the case of partnerships.

Originally, applicants had three years to complete an investment and make a payment claim.

However, since 14 January 2017, investments must be completed and claims submitted within six months of approval for certain (mobile) investments and 12 months in the case of structures and fixed equipment.

According to the Department, over 9,800 farmers have a TAMS II approval for which they have not yet submitted a payment claim.

Some farmers’ approved applications expired because they did not make a payment claim within the given time frame.

Towards the end of May, 155 such approved applications with a value of just under €1m had expired.

The Department is encouraging all farmers with outstanding approvals to examine their approval letter and to be mindful of when their approval will expire.

Payment claims have been submitted and paid to over 4,428 participants.

In value terms, this has resulted in €62.5m paid to date.

The total budget for the lifetime of the scheme is €395m.

The Department said approvals will continue to issue and payment claims submitted paid on an ongoing basis during 2018.

Tranche dates

The closing date for the current tranche (11) has been set as 7 September 2018.

The Department has proposed that tranche 12 will open on 8 September 2018 and close on 7 December 2018.

Tranche 13 will open for applications subsequently on 8 December and close on 5 April 2019.