Concern at cuts to Farms Assist scheme on Donegal farmers

The impact the Government has had through implementing several cuts to Farm Assist payments over the past three or four years, most notably through the removal of the income disregard, was raised in the Dáil by Donegal Fianna Fáil Deputy Charlie McConalogue. 

“There are 1,500 farm families in County Donegal availing of Farm Assist out of 10,000 nationally,” he said. “I have seen grown men and women sit across a table from me in very distressed states. They are proud people who have worked hard all their lives but have seen their Farm Assist payment cut as a result of the changes the Government has introduced, thus putting their families in a situation of penury in which they are wondering how they can continue to operate their family farms.”

Over two years the Government removed that income disregard, he said. Now, every euro a farm family earns is deducted directly from their Farm Assist payment, thus removing any incentive for production and to work hard. “Despite the approach taken by the Government, farm families across the country continue to work hard, because that is their ethic and tradition,” he said. “They are proud to be hard-working farm families. I represent a part of the country that has a higher number of people on farm assist than probably any other part of the country.”

Alongside this, Deputy McConalogue said over recent weeks the approach of the Government has led many farm families to believe that the Government does not want them to continue to operate as farm families and to be assisted in doing that. “That approach can be seen in the review forms that have been issued over the last couple of weeks to many farm families in Donegal,” he said.

In reply, Minister of State Kevin Humphreys said changes introduced in the budgets of 2012 and 2013 brought Farm Assist into closer alignment with the Jobseeker's Allowance scheme's treatment of self-employed persons. “However, it should be noted that Farm Assist customers continue to receive more beneficial treatment than other self-employed persons as payments received under the agri-environment options scheme or special area of conservation schemes are assessed separately from other farm income,” he said. “With regard to this income, the first €2,540 is disregarded, then 50% of the balance and related expenses are disregarded, with the balance being assessed as means. The assessment of means for the purpose of qualifying for Farm Assist is designed to reflect the actual net income and looks at gross income, less any expenses necessarily incurred, from farming.”

Income and expenditure figures for the preceding year are generally used as an indicator of the expected position in the following year, he said. However, account is taken of any exceptional circumstances so as to ensure that the assessment accurately reflects the current situation. “I outline in the formal written reply items with regard to the recent flooding, humanitarian grounds and the emergency fodder scheme,” he added.