The Department of Agriculture has been unable to provide a date on when their review of TAMS costs will be concluded.

In response to a direct question from the Irish Farmers Journal, the Department said that any changes to TAMS would be considered once the current review of costs was complete, however they failed to identify when this would be.

Many farmers who are in the process of applying or hoping to apply for TAMS have been frustrated by the surge in building material costs, which they would like to see reflected in TAMS costings.

The latest CSO wholesale price index for construction materials, published on 21 May 2021, shows timber prices in April recording an annual increase of 30% to 34%.

Structural steel has increased by 25% on the corresponding period in 2020, while reinforcing metal is up 14.4%.