I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him for his work. The Department of agriculture is probably the heaviest Department, given recent activities going on and the role the Minister is playing in it.

I acknowledge the benefits the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, TAMS, has delivered for farmers, supporting investment, improving efficiency and helping the sector move towards greater sustainably. Farmers value the schemes but many have contacted me with serious concerns about how the current tranches are operating. I want to outline those briefly.

Farmers are facing electricity and gas increases of 4% to 9%. Many had hoped TAMS-supported solar PV would help offset those costs. Instead, they are encountering a rank and selection system excluding large numbers of genuine applicants. Only around 10% of solar PV applications are being approved, which farmers find impossible to reconcile with rising energy costs and national climate ambitions. A major issue is the decision to exclude domestic farm dwellings sharing the same meter point reference number, MPRN. This rules out many drystock, sheep and tillage farms, which typically operate from a single meter for both home and yard. Farmers feels this is penalising them.

They also point out only 2.6% of agricultural land is being sought for solar farms yet there is huge potential in farm buildings and homes. At the same time, rural grid infrastructure is outdated and often lacks capacity. In places like Dingle, west Kerry, farmers report only 38 kVA coming into the town before being dispersed. They argue on-farm solar would generate power exactly where it is needed, easing pressure on the grid rather than adding to it.

Many farmers have already paid the €1,000 for NC7 approval, which is a non-refundable cost. If their TAMS application fails, they simply lose that money. They see this as unfair and a real deterrent to renewable investment.

One farmer told me he could milk 40 cows from the solar array on his parlour roof, producing 12 kW at 4.30 on a summer evening last year without any battery back-up. He was producing a greener product yet the emissions reduction is counted in the energy sector rather than on his farm. Farmers feel this does not reflect their contribution.

Fine Gael MEP Seán Kelly recently highlighted the need for a more coherent and farmer-friendly approach to on-farm renewables, warning that overly complex or inconsistent processes risk undermining Ireland's ability to meet its energy and climate commitments. His comments reflect exactly what farmers are telling us. They want to invest and contribute but the system is not workable. Farmers are asking the Minister to consider reinstating TAMS solar without rank and selection, particularly at a time of high energy insecurity. Solar PV can reduce reliance on fuel and heating oil, strengthen rural gird resilience and allow families and farms to generate clean energy.

As many farmers have put it, they want the power to be in the hands of people and communities. I ask the Minister to address these concerns and consider adjustments that would allow the TAMS to better support farmers who want to invest, contribute to climate action and secure the future of their farms.

I thank Senator Kennelly for raising the matter and the opportunity to provide an update on progress with the implementation of TAMS 3. Overall, TAMS 3 has proven extremely popular, with an unprecedented level of applications received, at three times the average number received per tranche compared with TAMS 2.

The submission of applications commenced in 2023 under the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, strategic plan from 2023 to 2027. The need to put new administrative and IT structures in place while simultaneously opening and rolling out the new scheme for participants meant that it took longer than hoped to commence the issuing of approvals and payments. Despite these initial delays, the scheme has been operating efficiently and at pace for some time, with delays now effectively eliminated. The issuing of approvals, allowing farmers to proceed with their investments, and the processing of payment claims are generally within the timelines set out in the farmers’ charter. A total of 63,754 applications have been received across the first 11 tranches of the scheme. Payments to the value of almost €156 million have issued to over 17,000 participants. They are issuing at a rate of approximately €2 million per week.

When it comes to investing in sustainability, I will briefly focus on two specific investments within TAMS. As the Senator is aware, the practice of low-emission slurry spreading, LESS, is an important, environmentally sustainable technology that will facilitate Ireland meeting its environmental commitments through reductions in ammonia and other reactive nitrogen emissions from soil. Support for both LESS and nutrient storage investments are part of a cross-departmental collaborative approach to ensure the continued use of the nitrates derogation and the protection of water quality in Ireland. In this regard, since 2015, over €163 million has been paid to farmers to support significant investments on Irish farms in manure storage and low-emission slurry spreading technology.

The supports available under TAMS for the installation of solar panels are in keeping with the commitment to assist farmers to address climate and sustainability targets. To date, over 3,400 farmers have received approval to proceed with works, while 1,629 farmers have installed panels and received grant aid for their completed investment.

The Senator understandably raised a point about ranking and selection. Despite the significant budget available for TAMS over the period 2023 to 2027, due to the scale of approval numbers issued to date - a total of 45,987 approvals, or three times the equivalent under TAMS 2 - it was necessary to introduce ranking and selection for tranche 9, which closed for applications in September 2025, and again for tranche 10, which closed for applications in December 2025. This was also the case with TAMS 2, when it became necessary to apply ranking and selection midway through the programme. It is not unusual. My Department will continue to review the overall funding position on an ongoing basis. Ultimately, I need to be able fund the last tranche in 2027 in the same way I am funding tranches now. The budget must be managed. The ranking marking criteria are available on my Department’s website.

I will now focus on particular sub-schemes within TAMS 3, specifically in tranche 10. A reduction of 90% has been applied to expenditure on the solar capital investment scheme. Senator Kennelly has clearly articulated frustrations in this regard. That 90% reduction is acknowledging the fact that the expenditure of almost €32.5 million under the solar scheme accounts for approximately 20% of the total TAMS 3 expenditure to date. In view of the critical importance of nutrient storage investments, which are available across four of the schemes, namely, the animal welfare nutrient storage scheme, the organic capital investment scheme, the young farmer capital investment scheme and the women farmer capital investment scheme, a lower reduction of 60% has been applied. The importance of farm safety and our unacceptably high levels of farm fatalities across all sectors are acknowledged and, therefore, I decided to approve all eligible applications under the farm safety capital investment scheme and keep it at 100%.

TAMS continues to be a hugely successful scheme. Supports this year will amount to some €90 million, with a similar allocation for next year. We are continuing to provide support to farmers to upgrade and invest in their holdings. Obviously, we are seeing a significant increase in the number of applications. That is why there is a need to manage that budget out until the end of 2027.

There is a vote in the other Chamber and the Minister might have to leave. Will he be able to finish this Commencement matter?

I am okay for now.

I thank the Minister.

That was a very detailed response on the success of TAMS. My objective for the farming communities that are finding it hard is to streamline the process and make it more user friendly for farmers living on their own who are not up to speed with all the data the Minister has outlined.

I welcome the success of the scheme. The Minister mentioned funding for the tranches in 2027. The closing window for that TAMS is 2027-----

That is for the CAP.

That is the closing window for the CAP. I do not have much to take back to the farmers who are looking for streamlining. Could the farming community have a door to open in relation to fast-tracking their applications and could we make sure that the forms are easier to fill out in order to get the necessary funding? These are small farmers milking 30, 40 or 50 cows. We do not want to see them disappear. Due to high energy costs at the moment, we need to do a lot more in that regard and give them all the help we can give.

I get that point. TAMS covers the period of the CAP, so our CAP funding and CAP schemes all run until the end of 2027. This opened in 2023. We are negotiating a new CAP. I do not know whether that will be ready or in place by 2027. Decisions on whether there will be a TAMS beyond that will depend on how much funding I have and how I am able to target it.

I threw a lot of figures at the Senator in my initial response. However, it is important to reflect here that, in simple terms, there is a massive increase in the number of farmers applying across all elements of TAMS 3 compared with TAMS 2. Yes, there are more disappointed farmers because more have applied. I have a very significant budget to expend - it was €90 million last year and is similar again this year - but I have to meet all of my policy objectives throughout this term, such as generational renewal an nutrient storage at a rate of 60% rate because we know how important the nitrates derogation is to farmers in County Kerry as well as throughout the country. Farm safety is a key element of the investments that farmers are making in livestock facilities because we want to keep those farmers safe as well.

We continue to review this. I would love to be able to do even more. TAMS is the type of investment that has a long-lasting benefit. That is why I want to continue to be able to do provide it. However, at a time when I have to manage that budget out to the end of 2027, I have to introduce ranking selection to make sure policy priorities are reflected as well.

I thank the Minister. I welcome Billy, Michael, Roisín and Anne Marie, who are up from the Brothers of Charity in Ferrybank in Kilkenny. They are very welcome. I hope that Natasha Newsome Drennan is looking after you well. If you have any trouble with her, just let us know. I hope you enjoy your day.