Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon has been accused of a "hatchet job" on solar investments under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS).

Yesterday (Tuesday, March 4), the minister confirmed that ranking and selection will continue to be applied to applications received under TAMS.

7,906 applications were received by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine for tranche 10 of the scheme, which closed on December 5.

There are 10 schemes within the overall TAMS programme, including the Solar Capital Investment Scheme (SCIS).

This scheme will be subject to a selection rate of only 10% of applications made for tranche 10.

The minister also confirmed that, from tranche 11 - which will open for applications this week - grant aid will be limited to solar panels supporting on-farm energy consumption only.

The minister pointed out that 20% of the overall TAMS budget for 2023-2027 has already been spent on the SCIS measure alone.

However, these restrictions to the SCIS measures have been slammed by the Micro Renewable Energy Federation (MREF), which claimed that the minister has "effectively torpedoed" TAMS solar investments.

"The interest among farmers for renewable power to both reduce their own energy costs, and cut emissions, has been phenomenal. TAMS supports have been critical to this enthusiasm," MREF chairperson Ciaran Kells said.

Kells added: "What the minister is planning to do in the latest tranche 10 is effectively reject almost 90% of solar grant applications, which will deny up to 1,500 farmers the grant supports they need."

He claimed that this will result in €500,000 being "wasted" putting professional applications together to meet grant requirements.

"Firstly, farmers are now being denied the opportunity to secure TAMS support to reduce carbon emissions on their farms, yet they are continuously being criticised by many commentators for not doing enough on climate action," Kells said.

He added: "Secondly, the turmoil in energy markets resulting from the Iran conflict again throws in to sharp focus Ireland’s weak energy security and total reliance on imports of gas and oil.

"We should be building up our energy resilience with micro renewables rather than limiting the significant renewable energy capacity we have on farm buildings," the MREF chairperson said.

Kells claimed that the minister's decision on the TAMS solar scheme will "be a major blow to the confidence of farm families in renewable power, and the positive contributions it can make to their lives, and will also decimate installer jobs right across the country".

He said the minister's move leaves farmers and the solar PV sector in "no-man's land".

"It is time for the government to either find the money to support the solar PV grant scheme for all TAMS applicants or to come clean and tell the farming community that they are no longer going support farmers in TAMS to reduce carbon emissions and energy costs with renewable power that farmers can produce themselves," Kells commented.