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More than 75% of applicants who were successful in third tranche of the Tier 1 scheme last year have now submitted claims for grant funding.
Figures from DAERA show that 2,259 claims were submitted by the end of September 2022, which compares to 2,914 successful applicants who received letters of offer last year.
In July 2022, the Irish Farmers Journal revealed that over 1,000 claims for grant funding were still to be submitted.
The slow uptake stems from delays with machinery manufacturers, as well as increased costs of equipment and tighter farm finances since initial applications were submitted last year.
Extensions
A department spokesperson said extensions to deadlines for claiming grant funding have been made available for those who experienced delays in securing equipment. These extensions are being managed on a case-by-case basis and a final cut-off date for submitting claims under the third tranche has not yet been set.
DAERA also confirmed that any unspent funding from the third tranche of Tier 1 will be carried forward to the fourth tranche.
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