What is the Farm Electrification Grant Scheme?
Who can qualify?
Farming for the purpose of the Scheme includes
Type of Supply Grant-Aided
Criteria for eligibility
How much Grant-Aid will I receive?
An application for Grant-Aid will not be approved in respect of
How do I apply?
LoCall (calls charged at a local rate) 1890 474 847 extension 6766 or 6720
The Farm Electrification Grant Scheme is designed to subsidise the installation of electricity to farms which previously had no supply or where supply is inadequate, in order to facilitate the development and modernisation of farms.
(The General Conditions of Supply for Grant-Aid under the Farm Electrification Grant Scheme are available on the third and fourth pages of the application form for the Scheme - see paragraph under the heading How Do I Apply).
To qualify for grant-aid under the Farm Electrification Grant Scheme for, an applicant must meet each of the following conditions:-
‘Dairy farming, livestock production (including deer, goats, pigs and poultry production) the training of horses and the rearing of bloodstock, the cultivation of grass and tillage crops, including horticultural crops whether under protected cropping conditions or in the open’
conditions of the Scheme, 25% of the applicant's gross income must be derived from traditional farming activities.
Electricity Supply is grant-aided in respect of the following :
· Sheds/Slatted sheds
· Poultry units
· Water pumps
· Pig units
· Pump houses
· Mushroom units
· Milking machines and cooling equipment
· Glasshouses
· Corn grinders
· Domestic dwelling houses
Supply to a second dwelling house on a farm is only allowable in the following cases:-
· where the original house is in an unrepairable condition;
· where the applicant is farming the land, fulfils the conditions at (ii) and (iii) under the Heading Who can qualify above, is the son/daughter of the registered owner and can provide satisfactory evidence that he/she will inherit the farm.
An eligible person shall be deemed to have farming as his/her main occupation if at least 50% of the income is gained from farming (subject to allowable off-farm income specified hereunder) and more than 50% of his/her working time is spent on farming activities.
· To fairly compare farm income with income from other sources, take the farm income (gross profit) after all direct and indirect expenses but before tax ie. net profit is farm income
· Total amount of allowable off-farm income will be assessed in accordance with the Department of Agriculture and Foods annual reference income for the farm improvement programme which has been fixed at €27,961.00. Applicants whose off-farm income exceeds this amount will not be eligible for Grant-Aid
· A farm plan completed by An Teagasc or an Agriculture Advisor may be necessary in certain cases to satisfy the Department that the applicant is actively engaged in farming
· Income from continuous letting of land for more than 11 months should be identified separately
· The following documentation may be required:
·Assessment notice for income tax purposes issued by the Revenue Commissioners
OR
· Where the assessment notice for income tax purposes does not show farm income separately, farm accounts as supplied to the Revenue Commissioners, for the same tax year.
· All applicants under the Scheme must comply with current tax clearance procedures.
· No application will be processed unless the Declaration at part 5 of the application form has been signed
· The grant must be availed of within one month of the offer being made and the premises must be wired and ready to have electricity supply connected within 3 months of the date of offer. ESB will not start construction work until the equipment for which the supply has been requested is installed.
· For New and Increased Supply
- 40% of cost of supply will be grant-aided subject to a maximum grant of €508
· For 3-Phase Supply
- 40% of cost of supply will be grant-aided subject to a maximum grant of €1016
Please note the connection charge quoted by the ESB already represents 50% discount of the cost of connection. (The remaining 50% is recovered from all other electricity users through their electricity standing charges and unit charges)
For example, if a customer received a quotation for connection for €1,000, the cost of providing that connection would be €2,000, the customer would pay €1,000 up front to ESB Networks Ltd and the remaining €1,000 would be recovered from all electricity users.
· Work already completed or commenced.
- Under no circumstances should work be commenced before an application is approved. Commencement of work before approval constitutes a withdrawal of the application.
· Supply to an electric fence only.
· Supply to a Caravan or Mobile Home.
· Supply to any premises where the applicant is engaged in any business or professional activity other than farming or to an "outoffice" where there is no ongoing significant farming activity.
In the first instance you must apply for and receive a connection quote from ESB
On receipt of the connection quote from the ESB, you should complete an application form and submit it with the requested documentation to the Farm Electrification Grant Scheme Unit, Department of Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Teeling St, Tubbercurry, Co Sligo
If you have any questions regarding the Scheme or require an application form you can contact:
Farm Electrification Grant Scheme
Dept of Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
Teeling St
Tubbercurry
Co Sligo
Tel: 071 918 6766
LoCall (calls charged at a local rate) 1890 474 847 extension 6766 or 6720