Wendy Conlon Farm Improvement Scheme

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Wendy ConlonFarm Improvement Scheme

• Teagasc Equine Specialist Advisor

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Farm Waste Management Scheme

• Effective from July 2007
• Applications acceptable currently
• Will close when allocation of 85m is exhausted
• Applicable to cattle, deer, goats, HORSES, pigs,
  poultry, sheep and mushroom compost
• Aid will not be given for works commenced or
  equipment purchased before written approval
  conveyed to the farmer

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Eligibility

• Own or have leasehold title to the site on which
  it is proposed to carry out the development
• Minimum of 3 hectares declared under SFP/Area Aid
  in current or preceding year
• Herd number (dormant)

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Financial aid payable

• Maximum investment 120,000 eligible for grant
  aid (40) on all facilities except fencing
  (20,000 per holding)
• Max grant calculated in accordance with
  Departments Standard Costings
• Where no standard costings available grants
  calculated on basis of receipts/invoices marked
  paid only
• Minimum inv. 1,000 per holding

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Agricultural Experience Training

• Increased grant rate (50) for young trained
  farmers under 35 years on date of receipt of
  valid application on some facilities
• Born before 1 Jan 1975 3 yrs farming experience
  180 hours completed prior to application
• Born on or after 1 Jan 1975 have completed one of
  list of approved courses
• Joint herd owners or partnerships experience and
  training need only be met by one of the herd
  owners, joint holders or partners both under 35
  years

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Items Eligible (40 10)

• Storage facilities for excreta, soiled water and
  other farmyard manures
• Housing and feeding facilities
• Storage for fodder and feed
• Associated facilities e.g.
• Yard drains
• Covered rainwater concrete collection tanks
• Guttering on existing buildings

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Items Eligible

• Safety elements (40 10)
• E.g. Replacement of hinged doors or sheeted gates
  with sliding doors on animal housing
• Fencing (40) enterprise specific (sheep, horses,
  goats and deer only)

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Items Eligible

• Stocks
• Walkers
• Gallops
• Lunge rings
• Arenas

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Planning Permission

• Applications may be forwarded as soon as a
  decision to grant planning permission has been
  issued by the relevant local authority
• Grant of full and final planning permission,
  including conditions, must be received before
  final consideration can take place
• Where exemption is claimed approval may be
  withheld until written evidence of exemption is
  provided

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Conditions

• Must comply with storage requirements of 2006
  regulations.
• If local authority specifies a higher winter
  storage period than specified in 2006 regulations
  that must be complied with

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Receipts

• Items invoiced or delivered, purchased or
  payments made before approval date are not
  eligible for grant aid.
• Where some or all of works are carried out by an
  applicant or family member, payment shall only be
  made where hours worked and date(s) are set out
  on the relevant form

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Conversions

• Eligible provided estimated costs of conversion
  to the relevant specification do not exceed 70
  of the cost of an equivalent new structure
• Where conversion is the only feasible solution
  (space e.g.) a conversion cost must not exceed
  the cost of a new structure
• All structures including conversions and
  extensions shall be constructed in full
  compliance with relevant minimum specifications

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Commencement of Work/ Compliance

• Applicants must inform the Department at the
  latest within two weeks of commencement of work
• Department reserves the right to carry out
  inspections at any time on approved works
• Buildings must be used for the purpose for which
  grant-aided for minimum of 5 years after date of
  inspection

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Contractors Tax Clearance

• Contractors used must have a current C2
  certificate or a tax clearance certificate from
  the Revenue where receipts from that contractor
  exceed 635

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Payment of Tax by Applicant

• Grant payments less than 10,000 applicants must
  indicate the tax district dealing with their
  affairs and declare that to best of their
  knowledge their affairs are in order
• For payments 10,000 or more a Tax Clearance
  Certificate is required before payment of grant
  aid is made

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Documents Required

• Application form
• Where planning permission required
• Grant of full and final planning or confirmation
  if it has been applied for
• Location map 6
• Farmyard layout plan
• Drawings on which planning obtained or applied
  for

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Documents Required

• Where planning not required
• Location map
• Farmyard layout
• Detailed and accurate drawings
• Cert from the department stating date herd number
  was first registered in the case of young farmers
  additional aid
• Original birth certificate where applicants date
  of birth is not verified on departments database

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For Further Information

• Contact your Teagasc office/ advisor
• www.agriculture.gov.ie
• On farm investments
• Farm improvement scheme
• Farm buildings
• S101 S102 S156 S157