Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 September 2026
620. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has undertaken any assessment of the impact of delays in processing grant applications on project costs arising from inflation, contractor availability and material price increases; whether any such analysis has been carried out in relation to TAMS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68620/26]
View answer623. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the longest, shortest and average processing time recorded for approved TAMS applications in each of the years 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; the reasons for significant delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68609/26]
View answer624. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the average time taken to process and determine applications under TAMS in each of the years 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; the number of applications in each year that took longer than 12 weeks, 24 weeks, 36 weeks and 52 weeks respectively to determine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68607/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 620, 623 and 624 together.
The 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.
To date, over 55,000 approvals have issued to farmers allowing them to proceed with their investments. Payments of over €193 million have issued to TAMS 3 participants since payments commenced in 2024, with payments of circa €1.5 million continuing to issue on a weekly basis.
My Department’s analysis of any pause in the processing of TAMS applications is largely due to the submission of applications which are complete and a delayed response to queries, raised by my Department to the applicant.
The approval process of applications commences following the ranking and selection (RASS) of all eligible applications received in a particular tranche period. The average weekly time period for approval of applications ranges from 5 weeks in 2022 to eleven weeks in 2023 as outlined in the Table 1 below. This is in line with the set targets in the Farmers’ Charter where it is agreed that approvals are issued within 3 months of the ranking and selection of files under each tranche.
The number of applications in which the approval process took longer than 12 weeks, 24 weeks, 36 weeks and 52 weeks are set out in Table 2 below. The delays in processing for these applications is largely due to the fact that insufficient documentation has been provided by the applicant or their advisor to allow the progression of the application.
The longest, shortest and average processing dates for payment claims submitted following the approval of applications to payment are set out in Table 3 below. Applicants in TAMS 3 have one year from the date of approval to complete their investments and submit a payment claim.
The figures only include applications where a payment claim has been submitted as the farmer may have decided not to proceed with their proposed investment within the required timelines.
These payment claim applications have also been processed in line with the agreed targets of payment approval within two months of receipt of a valid claim, and payment issuing with three weeks of claim approval as set out in the Farmers’ Charter.
It should also be noted that applications that my department have queried will have a longer processing period as there will be a hold on these applications until such time as the query is resolved.
A thorough examination of all investment costs was conducted by my Department last year, resulting in the updating of reference costs. My Department continues to monitor costs on an on-going basis, which will be adjusted as appropriate. I acknowledge that difficulties may arise in securing contractors at certain times so I would urge farmers to submit their application in sufficient time to ensure they can plan their proposed investments accordingly.
Table 1 - Average weeks from RASS to Approval
|
Scheme |
Year |
Average Weeks from RASS to Approval |
|
TAMS II |
2022 |
5 |
|
TAMS 3 |
2023 |
11 |
|
|
2024 |
7 |
|
|
2025 |
10 |
|
|
2026 |
6 |
Table 2 - Breakdown of weeks from RASS to Approval
|
Scheme |
Year |
Weeks |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12 and under |
13 to 24 |
25 to 36 |
37 to 52 |
Over 52 |
|
TAMS II |
2022 |
7810 |
534 |
57 |
17 |
9 |
|
TAMS 3 |
2023 |
9173 |
3344 |
348 |
100 |
41 |
|
|
2024 |
13849 |
2312 |
359 |
84 |
34 |
|
|
2025 |
15448 |
5105 |
652 |
137 |
11 |
|
|
2026 |
4089 |
220 |
|
|
|
Table 3 - Weeks from Claim submitted to Payment
|
Scheme |
Year of Claim |
Longest |
Shortest |
Average |
|
TAMS II |
2022 |
179 |
1 |
8 |
|
|
2023 |
155 |
1 |
8 |
|
|
2024 |
98 |
1 |
11 |
|
|
2025 |
37 |
2 |
16 |
|
TAMS 3 |
2024 |
111 |
1 |
12 |
|
|
2025 |
75 |
1 |
11 |
|
|
2026 |
34 |
1 |
9 |
