Priority Questions. - Social Welfare Benefits. – Dáil Éireann (28th Dáil) – Wednesday, 17 Nov 1999

Priority Questions. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Jim O'Keeffe

Question:

25 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number of claimants formerly in receipt of small farmers assistance who have had a reduction in payment following their transfer to the farm assist scheme; the number of new applicants for farm assist who have been refused any payment; the amount paid under the small farmers assistance scheme in 1998; the estimated figure for that scheme plus farm assist for 1999; and his views on whether further measures are necessary to relieve poverty and hardship for many farmers and their families. [23592/99]

Mr. D. Ahern

The farm assist scheme, which introduced the special arrangements for farmers on low incomes, was provided for in the Social Welfare Act, 1999, and is effective from 7 April 1999.

Up to the week ending 12 November, 9,202 applications were received for farm assist, comprising 2,478 new applications and 6,724 in respect of claimants formerly in receipt of smallholders unemployment assistance, widow's non-contributory pensions, pre-retirement and disability allowances. From the total number of applications received, there are currently 6,904 farm assist claims in payment of which 1,570 are new applications, 4,975 are former smallholders and 359 comprise claimants transferring from widow's non-contributory pensions, pre-retirement and disability allowances.

On the application form completed by former smallholders, many indicated that their circumstances had changed since their last assessment. Reviews of these cases are ongoing. At present 3,352 claimants who have had their means reviewed have received an increased level of payment, 947 have had a reduction in payment while 63 have had no change. A total of 743 claims for farm assist have been disallowed on means grounds. This figure includes applications from farmers not previously in receipt of a payment from my Department and those on other social welfare schemes who applied for farm assist. It is open to anybody who is dissatisfied with a decision of a deciding officer to appeal it.

In 1998, £27.8 million was expended under the smallholders unemployment assistance scheme. It is estimated that approximately £32 million will be spent this year under the smallholders unemployment assistance and farm assist schemes. I have included in the Estimates a provision of £38 million for expenditure for next year.

I am satisfied that farm assist represents a worthwhile improvement in the financial provision for low income farmers. It is of particular benefit to farm families with children because of the special disregard in respect of children but also provides increased payments to couples without children and to single farmers on low income.

Mr. J. O'Keeffe

Will the Minister accept that this is a dead duck scheme? It involves a mere £4 million extra which is all the Government provided for poor farmers. Apart from the fact that it is a dead duck, it is a total disaster for almost 1,000 small farmers who have had—

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

A question please, Deputy.

Mr. J. O'Keeffe

—the miserable pittance they received from the small farmers' assistance scheme reduced under this scheme. What does the Minister have to say to the 1,000 farm families who have had their amounts reduced under the scheme?

Mr. D. Ahern

The Deputy is forgetting the much larger figure of 3,352 people who have had their amounts increased. He referred to it as a dead duck scheme. I am surprised at the Deputy who is from a rural constituency. At the launch of the national development plan the other day, some farmer representatives told me it was an excellent scheme and complimented the Government for introducing it. I rest my case.

Mr. J. O'Keeffe

The Minister can rest on whatever rich farmer told him that. I am dealing with the matter on the ground where people in my constituency are being denied any payments. I am dealing with the poorest of the poor and they are complaining. Will the Minister review the situation and examine the real needs of farmers? He should consider the proposals I put forward, which include a family income supplement rather than this dead duck scheme. This would put farmers on a par with others. If families running small businesses such as corner shops and so on can get family income supplement, why not small farmers?

Mr. D. Ahern

When the Deputy was in office nothing was done on this issue.

Mr. J. O'Keeffe

Rubbish.

Mr. D. Ahern

This Government reacted to the difficulty in farming. It was not a rich farmer who said that to me the other day. It was a representative of the farmers who—