Tams Approvals – Minister Coveney Must Intervene

IFA Rural Development Chairman, Flor McCarthy has criticised the slow rate of TAMS approvals for farmers and in particular sheep farmers who have applied for the sheep fencing and handling scheme which closed at the end of last year.

Flor McCarthy said that given the favourable weather, the opportunity to carry out vital work on farms particularly sheep fencing in hill areas will be lost unless approvals are immediately issued.

In the new RDP, IFA will be insisting that the TAMS 2 scheme is operated in a much more efficient way. Flor McCarthy said there is no reason that with online applications farmers could not be processed within 1 month of the tranche period ending. Currently this is extending to 6 months which is unacceptable and must be resolved by the Minister.