Of the €395m allocated to Targeted Agriculutral Modernisation Scheme (TAMS), just over €92m (23%) has been issued in payments.

Fianna Fail’s spokesperson for agriculture Charlie McConalogue has described the level of unspent money, five years into a seven-year programme, as alarming.

Concerns

McConalogue said serious questions needed to be asked about the ability of Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed and his Department to manage the scheme.

“The programme, which provides grant aid for farm buildings and equipment, is an essential revenue stream, which allows farmers to repair and upgrade their operations.

"This current programme only runs until 2020 and I have serious concerns that the money will not be spent in the time that is remaining,” he said.

He outlined a number of stumbling blocks since the scheme was launched in 2015.

He said the year-long delay to the online payment system, along with rigid bureaucracy in the application process, had left farmers disillusioned.

He said a large number of those farmers were now choosing not to lodge claims for approved works.

Issues

A review of the scheme carried out last year by the Department of Public Expenditure flagged issues with the ongoing underspend within TAMS II.

McConalgoue said: “Due to the inspections regime, the review said there is 'often a delay between applicants making a payment claim and a payment being made'.

"This will come as no surprise to the thousands of farmers who are overburdened by paperwork.”

He called on Minister Creed to confirm farmers will not lose out and that all efforts be made to allocate and pay out the €302m of funding that remained unspent by 2020.

Read more

TAMS funding will be ‘fully spent’