IFA rural development chair John Curran has called on Minister Martin Heydon and Minister John Cummins to deliver updated TAMS reference costings and planning exemptions as promised ahead of the latest tranche of TAMS, which opened last week.
“These two issues in particular have been a bone of contention for farmers for years. It’s time they were sorted once and for all.
“We got political commitments from both ministers back in April that both would align with the commencement of the final TAMS tranche of the year,” he said.
“I’ve no doubt the handbrake has been put on necessary on-farm investment. Costs have skyrocketed in recent years and have been slow to reduce. Department costings, particularly concrete-related ones, are way out of kilter and farmers haven’t been getting the full benefit of the grant rates suggested,” he said.
“We can’t have a situation where necessary on-farm investment in animal welfare; nutrient storage; water quality etc is constrained simply because the funds aren’t there,” he said.
“The minister will point to the extra €160m secured through the National Development Plan, but that’s funding to 2030 and for Forestry Windblown support too. We have no idea how much of that will support TAMS investment specifically, and with the level of devastation following storm Éowyn, particularly along the western seaboard, and financial supports needed there, you’d have to say more money will be needed. On known metrics, we’ve already potentially maxed out twice that already, and we are only in year three of the scheme.
“That’s the message we left Minister Paschal Donohoe and Minister Jack Chambers when we met on the IFA pre-Budget priorities,” John Curran said.
“The turnaround in TAMS application decisions appears to have slowed down too. It is vital that this is an absolute priority for the Government.
“We need to get these exemptions in place. We need adequate budgets and accurate reference costs and ensure TAMS approvals are expedited,” he said.
Upcoming IFA events
Sat 13 Sept, IFA president will attend Strokestown Agricultural Show, Co Roscommon.Tues 16 Sept, IFA will be at the Ploughing Championships until Thursday.
IFA rural development chair John Curran has called on Minister Martin Heydon and Minister John Cummins to deliver updated TAMS reference costings and planning exemptions as promised ahead of the latest tranche of TAMS, which opened last week.
“These two issues in particular have been a bone of contention for farmers for years. It’s time they were sorted once and for all.
“We got political commitments from both ministers back in April that both would align with the commencement of the final TAMS tranche of the year,” he said.
“I’ve no doubt the handbrake has been put on necessary on-farm investment. Costs have skyrocketed in recent years and have been slow to reduce. Department costings, particularly concrete-related ones, are way out of kilter and farmers haven’t been getting the full benefit of the grant rates suggested,” he said.
“We can’t have a situation where necessary on-farm investment in animal welfare; nutrient storage; water quality etc is constrained simply because the funds aren’t there,” he said.
“The minister will point to the extra €160m secured through the National Development Plan, but that’s funding to 2030 and for Forestry Windblown support too. We have no idea how much of that will support TAMS investment specifically, and with the level of devastation following storm Éowyn, particularly along the western seaboard, and financial supports needed there, you’d have to say more money will be needed. On known metrics, we’ve already potentially maxed out twice that already, and we are only in year three of the scheme.
“That’s the message we left Minister Paschal Donohoe and Minister Jack Chambers when we met on the IFA pre-Budget priorities,” John Curran said.
“The turnaround in TAMS application decisions appears to have slowed down too. It is vital that this is an absolute priority for the Government.
“We need to get these exemptions in place. We need adequate budgets and accurate reference costs and ensure TAMS approvals are expedited,” he said.
Upcoming IFA events
Sat 13 Sept, IFA president will attend Strokestown Agricultural Show, Co Roscommon.Tues 16 Sept, IFA will be at the Ploughing Championships until Thursday.
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