Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon has invited submissions, observations and comments regarding the current range of on-farm investments supported Capital Investment Programme under the CAP Strategic Plan 2023 to 2027, the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) and investments which could be considered in the future to support the transition to more sustainable systems of production.

The notes associated with the invitation state that ‘’such investments may concern, among other things, infrastructures related to the development, modernisation or adaptation to climate change of agriculture and land use, energy and water, installation of digital technologies in agriculture, precision farming, with a particular emphasis in areas such as farm safety, animal welfare and nutrient management’.’

Submissions opened on Tuesday last and remain open until 5pm on Friday 30 October. Proposals should be emailed to TAMSInvestments@agriculture.gov.ie.

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Information being requested

In order for submissions to be deemed valid, those submitting a proposal must include the following:

  • Proposed Investment Item – infrastructure, equipment or technology.
  • Where the investment is not currently included under TAMS 3, a description of what the investment does, in no more than 50 words.
  • Target beneficiary. For example: tillage farmers, organic farmers, etc.
  • Justification and rational clearly setting out the benefits of the investment. For example in relation to water quality, greenhouse gas emission reduction, farm safety, etc
  • Cost of item per unit.
  • Number of suppliers of item.
  • Where more than one investment is being proposed to be retained or added, the investments are to be listed in order of desired priority and numbered accordingly. No two investments are to be given the same numbering.
  • Brief details in relation to proposals if equivalent submission is made to another government department or agency; if so, who.

    • Possible items of investment

    Certain farming organisations have called on the minister to include specific investments over the years, while individual farmers have also contacted the Irish Farmers Journal in regard to proposed items.

    Below are some of the investments that we feel would be worthwhile to include.

    Item: virtual fencing systems

    Benefits: Virtual fencing has been successfully trialled by the National Parks and Wildlife for conservation grazing of hill areas with bovines across many different sites.

    The selective nature of grazing by cattle has shown to benefit the ecosystem which included bracken flattening. Ireland’s uplands are now more scarcely stocked than has ever been seen before, with a very limited number of farmers utilising hill grazing for cattle.

    Automated handlers such as this CLipex unit are poorly costed under the current TAMS III, but grant aid under the SFIS in Northern Ireland is much higher.

    The use of hardy breeds such as Irish Moiled, Dexter, Galloway and Highland cattle would see this land better utilised, increase on-farm revenue, see an improvement in biodiversity as well as reducing the overgrowth that has seen devastating wildfires such as was witnessed in Slievenamon this summer.

    Item: automated sheep handling units

    Benefit: Northern Irish farmers will be familiar with the Sustainable Farming Investment Scheme (SFIS) which is similar to TAMS 3 in the Republic. In it, farmers can avail of up to £6,195 (€7,226) of grant aid to invest in high spec sheep handling units that can auto catch, weigh, draft and calibrate dosing guns to the animal’s weight. With these units running between €15,000-€20,000 or above, it is a serious benefit to these farms.

    Under TAMS 3, grant aid is still based off very basic units without any of the automations listed above.

    With smaller flock sizes, it is extremely difficult for farmers to invest this money, while we see the national ewe flock dwindle, with labour being a huge factor.

    Including a specific investment item for these automated handling units would see a greater uptake and hopefully reduce the slippage in ewe numbers.

    Item: slat rubber

    Under the current guise of TAMS 3, farmers can not avail of grant aid to invest in matting for use on slatted floors.

    Trial work in Teagasc Grange has seen positive increases in carcase weights and animal liveweight gain where certain brands of rubber matting was used on slats which could lead to a reduced age to slaughter, a known goal in reducing carbon emissions from agriculture.

    Ammonia reduction matting is one of the items eligible for investment under the aforementioned SFIS, with manufacturers having to prove a reduction in ammonia emissions of 25% or greater. Again, this would be an easy win while improving animal welfare.

    Item: badger proofing

    A total of €157m was allocated to TB spending in 2026, with an expectation that some of this money will go unspent.

    Badger proofing outdoor water troughs through rollers or increasing their height, creep feeders and meal troughs, as well as surrounding yards or to protect grazing areas could be a wise spend by the Department and offer those farmers who are consistently afflicted by the disease with another solution as opposed to consistent removal of condemned animals and disinfection.

    While reactor numbers are down nationally, pockets of the disease are increasing in areas in the north west which would be seen as low risk due to reduced cattle movements and lower stocking rates.