asked the Minister for Social Welfare if when assessing an applicant's means for unemployment assistance he will assess it, not on his valuation which is now assessed at £20 income per £1 of valuation, but on his income on the stock he has on the land.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Assistance.
20.
The system under the Unemployment Assistance Acts of assessing farm income by reference to the valuation of the land, excluding the valuation of any buildings thereon, was introduced in January, 1966, for small farmers in the congested areas to replace the system which the Deputy is now advocating and about which there had been long and widespread complaint. It was contended against the former system that it had a serious disincentive effect on agricultural production because it subjected industrious smallholders with a rising farm income to the risk of consequential reduction in, or even loss of, their unemployment assistance.
Under the new system, small farmers in the congested areas are free to work their holdings to maximum capacity and to avail themselves fully of all schemes designed to raise the output of their holdings without having to worry about losing some or all of their unemployment assistance as a result of their efforts. It also obviates the need for periodical inspection of holdings by the social welfare officer. I am satisfied that the present basis of assessing means from land in the congested areas has many clear-cut advantages over the old system, reversion to which would require amending legislation that I do not propose to promote.