Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 February 2024
78. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost to the Exchequer annually to abolish the means test for fish assist and farm assist; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9405/24]
View answerWhile sectoral supports in this area are a matter for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Department of Social Protection administers the Farm Assist scheme, which is a statutory means-tested income support specifically for farmers on low-incomes. There are approximately 4,000 claims in payment at present. The Government has provided €50.93 million for the scheme in 2024.
A self-employed fisherman or fisherwoman on a low income may qualify for Fish Assist, a support provided under the Jobseeker's Allowance scheme. To qualify for Jobseeker's Allowance you must be available for and genuinely seeking work. You must also satisfy a means test.
I have introduced a number of improvements to the means test for Farm Assist in recent years. The same provisions for Farm Assist apply to Fish Assist.
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. I increased the number of schemes that qualify for this regard from 4 to 19, with effect from June 2022. From April 2023 I added an additional 4 schemes to this list.
There are also annual disregards for dependent children; €254 for each of the first two children and €381 for the third and other children. Remaining farm income and income from off-farm self-employment is then assessed at 70%, with 30% disregarded. In line with the provisions for Jobseeker's Allowance, a disregard of €20 per day, up to a maximum of €60 for up to three days, applies to off-farm earnings from employment in the means test for Farm Assist, with 60% if the balance assessed as means. As is the case for other means-tested social welfare schemes, the first €20,000 of capital is not assessed.
It is not possible to accurately calculate the cost of abolishing the means test for these schemes. To do so would effectively result in a universal payment for farmers and fishermen/fisherwomen.
As an indicator, according to the 2022 Teagasc Farm Survey there were approximately 86,000 farms in Ireland at that time. The current maximum personal rate of payment for Farm and Fish Assist is €232 per week. The cost of a universal payment at this rate to 86,000 farmers would be over €1 billion annually, with additional costs arising in respect of dependent adults and children. Using CSO data, which indicates that there are over 71,000 self-employed persons involved in agriculture, forestry and fishing, the annual cost of such a payment would be €857 million in addition to that for dependents.
I trust this clarifies the position for the deputy.
