On-farm cash-flow difficulties are being exacerbated by delays in processing payments under the latest Targeted Agricultural Measures Scheme (TAMS), the ICMSA has claimed.

The farm body called on the Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue to fast-track TAMS III payments to the almost 6,900 farmers who have already received approvals, with payments to these farmers valued at almost €69m.

Applicants are supposed to be paid within two months of purchase receipts, or cost of works invoices, being provided to the Department of Agriculture.

However, the ICMSA deputy president Eamon Carroll claimed many farmer applicants were waiting far longer than two months for payments.

“It is unacceptable that yet again farmers are experiencing delays associated with this scheme,” Carroll said.

“The delay in processing claims is leading to cash-flow difficulties for the farmers who have made the payments in question, and blaming IT delays is simply not good enough,” he added.

“It also points to the need to conclude the Farmers Charter negotiations so that the Department can be held to account for the ongoing delays in approvals and payments for TAMS,” Carroll added.

Farmers who have purchased equipment such as slurry dribble bar systems could be waiting on TAMS payments of around €4,500 to €5,500 where the purchase price is between €12,500 and €14,000 VAT exclusive and the grant rate is 40%.

The level of payments tied up is far higher where farmers qualify for 60% grants or in the case of building works where significant investments are involved.

The Department said that it is currently focussed on issuing approvals to farmers and that the processing of payment claims will commence in May, with payments beginning in June.