Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 May 2023
147. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will include new agricultural schemes as eligible payments for farm assist, given that a significant number of schemes have changed under the new CAP; if she will provide a list of schemes which will be included under farm assist; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25134/23]
View answerFarm Assist is a statutory income support specifically for farmers on low-incomes. There are approximately 4,300 claims in payment at present. The Government has provided €49.4 million for the scheme in 2023.
Under the Farm Assist means test, income from a range of agri-environmental schemes attract a disregard of €5,000, increased from €2,540 from January 2023, with 50% of the balance assessed as means.
Further to the commitment in the Programme for Government and in the Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, my Department reviewed the means assessment disregards for Farm Assist in 2021. The report is available on the Government's website. One of the key recommendations of the report was to provide for an extensive expansion to the list of agri-environmental schemes that qualify for a disregard, which I introduced effective from June 2022.
The report also recommended that the Department would work with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to identify additional schemes in Ireland's CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 for inclusion in the list of agri-environmental schemes which attract a disregard for Farm Assist. This process has been completed and the list was further expanded with effect from April 2023.
The full list of agri-environmental schemes that attract this disregard is available on the Department's website.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
