The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 19 Jan, 2024

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Agriculture

Period 1 Sep, 2023 to 31 Dec, 2023

Specific Details Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS)

Intended results To highlight the challenges regarding late issue of approval letters and the impact on the ability of farmers to undertake capital investment in 2023.This has caused huge frustration amongst farmers. To discuss Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) prioritisation cases. Priority cases include water quality, slurry storage and animal welfare investments. To challenge the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine's marking scheme and rationale to penalise intensive farm operations in derogation when perhaps these are farms most in need of on-farm investment. To call on the Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine and to clarify where farmers stand with the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS). Presently, there are thousands of farmers who have made applications for Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) last spring and have not heard where they stand. To highlight that there is now a situation where farmers are unable to draw down funding this year for necessary on-farm investment. To propose that given 100% approval was provided for by the Department for all eligible Tranche 1 applications on September 9th, once administrative checks are complete and applications passed, farmers should be issued with formal approval permitting them to invest and/or commence development. Rank and selection, plus any additional procedures post administrative checks should be temporarily suspended for TAMS 3 Tranche 1 and 2 applications. To propose that an increase in the permitted timescale to project completion should also be provided given the volume of applications and likely demand for scarce skilled labour to execute same. To propose that any pre-approval inspections are temporarily suspended and/or levels required kept to absolute minimum. To propose that the flexibility provided to mobile investments, for farmers to proceed with investments without formal approval, shall be extended also to include fixed investment items. That a temporary clause should be introduced and included in scheme Terms and Conditions that, where an anomaly subsequently arises with regard individual TAMS 3 Tranche 1 & 2 applications, applicants are permitted to continue with development but to resolve the application issue and their application would be carried forward to subsequent tranches for review and payment, even though works have commenced or are near completion . That any farmer who successfully applied for similar TAMS 2 type investment, who held investment ceiling capacity yet whose approval has since lapsed, will have their approval automatically re-instated and permitted to progress with their investment. That the limited ‘priority application' process introduced mid-September for one-week should be re-opened, for an extended time period, and a list of key applicable investment items in scope for application provided. That, aligned with above, the proposed scheme approval sequencing should be reviewed. Much of the ‘emergency / priority' investments fall within the ‘Animal Welfare, Nutrient Management Storage' scheme but also the ‘Dairy Equipment Scheme' and ‘Farm Safety' scheme, both of which was among the latter schemes to open and had a combined 28% of total Tranche 1 applications received. These schemes, alongside other key on-farm investments, should be prioritised. That the 5-day ‘Notice of Commencement of Works' requirement for final fix of steel reinforcement and/or pouring of concrete should be temporarily suspended for relevant TAMS 3 Tranche 1 and 2 applications. That to reduce the volume of TAMS applications in future, consideration should be given to the establishment of an independent application and funding approach for solar applications as, relative to other financial supports, applicants are significantly disadvantaged in the staggered / delayed TAMS approval process.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Tim Cullinan IFA President, Michael Biggins IFA Rural Development Chair, James Gallagher IFA Rural Development Vice-Chair, Caillin Conneely IFA Hill Farming Chair, Shane Whelan IFA Senior Policy Executive, Rachel Moloney IFA Policy Executive, Pat Carroll IFA Tipperary South County Chair

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Meeting (2-5)

Social Media (2-5)

Letter (2-5)

Email (1)

Informal communication (6-10)

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Amii McKeever Adviser to Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Charlie McConalogue Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Garret Ahearn Senator (Seanad)

Garrett Ahern Senator (Seanad)

Helen McEntee Minister (Department of Justice and Equality)

Martin Browne TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jackie Cahill TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Collins Councillor (Limerick City and County Council)

Michael Fitzmaurice TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Ring TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Joe Flaherty TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul Kehoe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Claire Kerrane TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Brian Leddin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Johnny Mythen TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Tim Lombard Senator (Seanad)

Victor Boyhan Senator (Seanad)

Lynn Boylan Senator (Seanad)

Paul Daly Senator (Seanad)

Denis O'Donovan Senator (Seanad)

Barry Andrews MEP (European Parliament)

Billy Kelleher MEP (European Parliament)

Chris MacManus MEP (European Parliament)

Ciarán Cuffe MEP (European Parliament)

Clare Daly MEP (European Parliament)

Colm Markey MEP (European Parliament)

Deirdre Clune MEP (European Parliament)

Frances Fitzgerald MEP (European Parliament)

Grace O'Sullivan MEP (European Parliament)

Luke Ming Flanagan MEP (European Parliament)

Maria Walsh MEP (European Parliament)

Mick Wallace MEP (European Parliament)

Sean Kelly MEP (European Parliament)