ARE you eligible to apply for grant aid under the Department of Agriculture’s Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS)?

TAMS was extended to the equine sector in spring 2023, but there are strict criteria which must be met.

Aidan Brady of IFA Bord Gáis, a leading provider of solar panels to the agricultural sector, got in touch with The Irish Field this week, with advice for horse owners interested in applying for TAMS support.

“You have to own or rent at least five hectares of land and you have to be registered for the Department’s Basic Income Support for Sustainability Scheme (BISS),” Aidan told us.

Income support

BISS is the main EU support for farmers. It provides income support for farming sustainably and aims to ensure farmers can make a living from farming. The amount you get is based on the number of hectares you farm that qualify for the scheme. The Basic Income Support for Sustainability Scheme replaced the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS), often referred to as the Single Farm Payment.

BISS is currently closed to new applicants and will open again in 2025.

Eligible for BISS

Aidan added: “There are probably loads of people in the equine sector, who are eligible for BISS and are not claiming it. They should contact an agri-advisor and apply for BISS. The scheme will open for applications in mid-February and usually closes in mid-May.

“It’s worth waiting for, as you can get up to 60% of your solar panel installation costs refunded through TAMS. Otherwise you will have to apply for the Sustainable Energy Authority for Ireland (SEAI) grant, which is only around 25% and is open to everyone.”