This is a subscriber-only article
Farmers must show proof that a minimum of 40 sheep (ewes or store lambs) are on their holding before receiving approval for a TAMS II sheep fencing payment claim, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has said.
The clarification was announced on Thursday after a parliamentary question from Deputy Brendan Smith in the Dáil. “As required under all TAMS measures, farmers will be required to use the investment for the purposes for which it was intended for a period of five years from the date of payment for the investment,” said Minister Creed.
This clarity from the minister will help alleviate concerns some farmers had on the matter. A number of weeks ago the Irish Farmers Journal received contact from farmers and planners raising concerns relating to sheep fencing grant aid applications under TAMS II.
This related to applications made under tranche three, with a number of farmers reporting that they had been told that applications submitted were not eligible for grant aid as they do not possess sheep on the farm. While possessing sheep was an eligibility criteria in TAMS I, it was not included as a criteria in the terms and conditions of TAMS II when the sheep fencing measure was introduced.
SHARING OPTIONS: