Agriculture Minister Michael Creed is facing increasing pressure to deliver on his word to have a TAMS II online payment facility in place this month.

The Minister had promised previously that a payment system would be in place by 20 July. Presently there is no functionality on the Department of Agriculture’s website to process applications for grant payments and paper applications are currently not accepted.

Many farmers who completed TAMS II investments earlier in the year are now feeling the financial strain that comes with making a significant capital investment on their farms.

The delayed payments coupled with reduced incomes is putting farmers under financial pressure and some farmers will have to renegotiate bridging loans if grant payments do not materialise soon.

The lack of an online payment facility is not the only issue that will slow down payments for completed TAMS investments. Those who received part approvals earlier this year and completed some investments will not be able to make a payment claim until full approvals are issued and all investments are completed from the application according to the Department.

Similarly, farmers who received full approval but did not complete all the investments that were in the original TAMS application will not be able to make a payment application.

Approvals to start work are making their way to farmers’ doors now after the very sluggish start this spring. From the first three tranches of TAMS II there has been approximately 7,000 applications. Approximately 3,000 farmers have now got full approval to start work.

However many farmers are still waiting on approval from the Department who are keen to start building work in the summer months.