Speaking to the Select Committee on Agriculture in the Houses of the Oireachtas today, 8 December, Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney confirmed that he is prioritising approvals under TAMS II.

“We cannot get approvals out to the 1,000 dairy farmers who applied to TAMS II before end of year,” the minister said. “We don’t have the numbers to be able go on farm to approve them all. So what we are doing is calling people to see who needs money urgently.”

Payments will prioritise young farmers who need to build infrastructure to begin milking in the spring.

“Two hundred applicants will get approval by the end of 2015,” said Coveney. “New entrants with breeding heifers and no milking parlours are being given priority.”

With not long left until the end of 2015, there is pressure on the Department to approvals done quickly.