Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 October 2023
402. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will support a proposal that a young farmer capital investment scheme and the women capital investment scheme needs to be established (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44034/23]
View answerThe Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) provides grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings. The scheme will be in place for a period of five years, until 2027, with a budget of €370 million. The Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme and The Women Farmer Capital Investment Scheme are two of the ten schemes available under TAMS 3.
Under the Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme, the definition of the Young Farmer is set out in EU Regulations, and is limited to applicants who are under 41 years of age at the time of application. Eligible farmers in this category that hold the necessary qualifications are entitled to grant aid of 60%.
The Women Farmers Capital Investment Scheme is open to applicants between the ages of 18 and 66 at any time during the calendar year in which an application for support is submitted. Measures in TAMS 3 aim to balance the need to address the issues of both generational renewal and gender balance in farming.
The key requirement for any TAMS scheme is that the applicant holds an official department identifier (herd number). In cases where any potential applicant is not named on a herd number, it is open to them to have their name added as part of a registered farm partnership or have the herd number moved to their name only. Applicants should seek the advice of their agricultural consultant before considering a change of status in respect of their holdings.
