asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will review the off-farm income scale for part-time farmers e.g. headage payments and farm grants; and if he will bring it into line with that in Northern Ireland.
51.
Written Answers. - Off-Farm Incomes.
50.
Mr. Coughlan
asked the Minister for Agriculture if his Department have any plans to raise, to a more realistic level, the off-farm income levels in respect of eligibility for cattle and sheep headage payments.
52.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will increase the limits for off-farm employment for headage payments, in view of the anomalies between off-farm income and social welfare payments to farmers.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 to 52, inclusive, together.
To abolish or raise the off-farm income limit for livestock grants under the disadvantaged areas scheme would involve an extra cost to the Exchequer in the first year of up to £4.5 million and would mean that less resources would be available to those farmers most in need, that is full-time farmers and those with low off-farm incomes. In view of this and having regard to the current Exchequer position, I do not at present propose to remove or modify the limit.
I would point out that social welfare payments to farmers are not regarded as off-farm income for the purposes of the disadvantaged areas schemes. Payments of livestock headage grants are on the other hand taken into account in the factual assessment of farmers for small-holders unemployment assistance by the Department of Social Welfare.
I would also point out that the adoption here of the arrangements in operation in Northern Ireland would result in some 30,000 farmers losing the grants which they at present receive under the disadvantaged areas scheme.