Vol. 411 No. 2
3 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he has had any consultation with the Department of Agriculture and Food concerning the payment of £1 million allocated in the budget to financially help low income farmers; whether this allocation will be used in 1991 for this purpose; and the circumstances under which the scheme will be administered.
22 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether self-employed persons and farmers can benefit from an income supplement similar to that of PRSI workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 and 22 together.
Currently farmers and other self-employed people do not qualify for family income supplement. I am very aware of the problems of low income farmers. As I indicated recently to the Irish Farmers' Association, the possibility of introducing a pilot scheme to address the problems of low income farm families is one of a number of items for discussion in the context of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress. The Government have given a commitment in the programme that arrangements will be made to address the problem of low-income farming families, in consultation with farming organisations. Certain discussions have already taken place between my Department, the Department of Agriculture and Food and the IFA. I will be initiating further discussions on the possibility of a pilot scheme shortly. The introduction of any pilot scheme would have financial implications for my Department and therefore, fall to be considered in a budgetary context.
I am amazed at that reply. In his budget speech the Minister for Finance said he had made available £1 million in his budget. It is there for everybody to see. The Minister is informing me that that £1 million will not be used in 1991. Is he aware how financially badly off farmers are this year? Furthermore, does he accept that it is nothing short of a scandal that 10,000 small farmers are being deprived of even £2 per week which is all it would mean to many of them anyway, at a time when a few individuals in the golden circle managed to get £8 million in the same period? It is a scandal.
Perhaps the Deputy might have a word with some of his friends who are in these golden circles because there are far more people in Fine Gael in golden circles than there ever were in Fianna Fáil, and that remains a fact today. As far as we are concerned, £1 million was given to the Department of Agriculture and Food and we have had discussions with that Department.
The year is gone.
Bringing in an overall scheme would cost a great deal more than that. What I suggested is that one way to approach it would be to set up a pilot scheme in one region so that the future direction can be sorted out.
You forgot about it all year.
