The Department of Agriculture has confirmed that the TAMS costing review is ongoing and is due to be completed in the coming days, according to the IFA.

The confirmation was made to the IFA at a Farmer Charter of Rights meeting on Thursday.

IFA rural development chair Michael Biggins said: “The Department confirmed to the IFA that all inspections and schemes are on schedule to deliver payments on time.

“The review must be completed without any further delay and it must include all applications currently in the system where the work or purchase of equipment has not started.

“It would be unacceptable not to include all applicants because the impact of excluding them would mean they would get a lower rate of grant relative to investment costs incurred,” stated Biggins, in reference to increasing construction costs which he quoted as being up to 40% in some cases.

BPS payments

At the meeting, IFA deputy president Brian Rushe commented on the need for all 129,000 farmers to receive their basic payments on time.

Rushe also took the opportunity to again call on the Department to clear the ongoing backlog of forestry licences.

He stated that IFA members are regularly getting in touch with him over the issue, as the current licensing backlog is blocking them from marketing timber.