Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 July 2026
49. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for a full review of the operation of the ranking and selection process under the solar capital investment scheme within TAMS 3 to ensure they align with Ireland’s climate and energy targets; the steps he will take to improve access to funding for on-farm solar investments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52091/26]
View answerThe Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) provides grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings. The Solar Capital Investment scheme (SCIS) is one of these measures which provides support to farmers to invest in the transition to renewable energy.
SCIS has proved to be extremely popular, with payments of over €35 million already issued to farmers since payments commenced in June 2024. To date, 6,868 applications have been received, with 3,606 approvals issued, allowing those farmers to proceed with their investments. Approvals are continuing to issue on eligible applications once checks have been completed.
Given the unprecedented demand for the individual schemes within TAMS 3, in recent tranches it has been necessary to apply a percentage selection level via the Ranking and Selection system, to ensure the budget allocated to TAMS 3 is observed.
In the circumstances of having to apply RASS percentage selection in recent tranches and to acknowledge the importance of nutrient storage investments and farm safety measures, I took the decision to prioritise these measures over other schemes.
I am satisfied that the current scoring system is the best mechanism for ensuring that funding is targeted at the most appropriate enterprises while managing the allocated TAMS budget. I will also ensure that the system continues to be reviewed on a regular basis.
