Q1 Where can I find information on the Farm Safety Scheme on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) website?

A. The DAFM web address is www.agriculture.gov.ie. The handiest way is to scroll down on the homepage to “Farmer Schemes & Payments”, click on “TAMS schemes and specifications”. When the page comes up, click on the links to the farm building specifications and the Farm Safety Scheme.

In the Farm Safety Scheme area you’ll find a scheme overview, the terms and conditions, the application form and the marking sheet. Under farm building specifications are all the relevant specifications. Some specifications and lists of accepted suppliers have been recently updated or added, eg S101C for retrofitting roof clear sheets (rooflights) with safety grid, S123A for the extension of concrete tanks, S123D accepted simple aeration systems for grant-aid, S123S for the replacement of concrete slats, S136A accepted mobile sheep handling facilities, S138 for grant-aided calving gates and mobile cattle crushes and S148A accepted fencing post suppliers.

The reference costs are also in the farm building specification page. Scroll down the page to “reference costs” and the first item is “Farm Safety Scheme reference costs and explanatory notes”.

Q2. A farmer wants to install a new propeller agitator in an overground tank and put this propeller in through the side wall, either tractor driven or electric with auto functions

A. No, the purchase of a new propeller agitator is not an eligible item under the Farm Safety Scheme.

Q3. Do the reference costs include VAT?

A. No – the reference costs never include VAT in any grant scheme

Q4. Can farmer make two separate applications?

A. Applicants can lodge multiple applications; however, multiple applications will be combined into one, and processed as one application

Q5. Is there some flexibility when you are just installing sliding doors or fitting rooflight safety cages in a shed with internal agitation that approval could issue?

A. No, grant aid will not be paid for any investment (replacements slats, rewiring, sliding doors, etc) on a house that does not have an external agitation point. Furthermore, no part of the area to which animals have continuous access should have an agitation access point.

Q6. Grant-aided structures must be used for a minimum of five years from date of issue of letter of approval (page eight of T&C). If the applicant retires within the five years, his herd number is cancelled and the farm is transferred to his son (who has his own herd number), does this satisfy the five-year usage requirement?

A. Yes if the son continues to use the investment for purpose intended.

Q7. In relation to the new farm safety grants, there is a minimum investment of €2,000 in order to be eligible. If for example the applicant’s proposed costs come in at €2,200 but the Department reference costs are lower at €1,900, does this mean that the grant application is invalid.

A. Yes, the application is invalid as it less than the investment ceiling. Payment will be on the lowest of proposed, reference or receipted cost.

Q8. For the farm safety scheme the DAFM are looking for bank details for payment purposes but it is not on the application form, so where do they fill in the bank details?

A. DAFM have already got bank details for SPS payments or bank details will be requested at payment, if required.

Q9. If there is no external agitation point, is the replacement of single and damaged slats grant-aided?

A. No, Slurry agitation must be made safe by providing external agitation access (either extending the tank at one or both ends or in conjunction with a 6in circulation pipe). Simple aeration systems are also acceptable and are grant-aided. The roof may be trimmed back ensure the agitation point is external but this is not grant-aided. All internal agitation points must be removed. See S123, S123A, S123D and S123S for details

Q10. Cattle crushes – can they be fixed or do they have to be mobile?

A. There is no grant for fixed cattle crushes in this scheme. This is because planning permission may be required for fixed cattle crushes and time for this is limited because the scheme closes on 9 January 2015 and works have to be completed and the payment claim lodged with DAFM by 31 August.

Q11. Will getting a grant under this scheme affect my investment limit in future TAMS schemes?

A. No, the Farm Safety Scheme is part of TAMS I and it will not affect investment ceilings and entitlements to grant aid under TAMS II when it is introduced.

Q12. What is the situation with regards to partnerships and investment ceiling?

A. Where Milk Production Partnerships are concerned, the maximum investment ceiling of €20,000 is multiplied by three (€60,000) in a milk production partnership where there are three or more eligible partners. Where there are two partners, the maximum investment ceiling is doubled to €40,000. The grant rate is the same at 40% and family and non-family partnerships are included. This is covered on pages five and six of the terms and conditions of the scheme.

Q13. Are gang slats regarded as a solid cover for external slurry and effluent stores?

A. Slats are not acceptable as solid covers for external slurry and effluent stores.

Q14. Will a farmer who has installed a new meter box and distribution board (to give a separate supply from the dwelling house) get a grant? He will not be re-wiring any sheds as they were all done recently. The cost of these works is about €5000.

A. No, the grant is for wiring or rewiring of existing farm buildings and while a new distribution board is required so are all new lights and new wiring; see section 30a in the terms and conditions for specific conditions laid down for these investments.