Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 September 2022
203. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the organic farming scheme was not included in the expanded list of schemes as of June 2022 that are assessed differently concerning the disregard within farm assist; the estimated cost of including the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47745/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFarm Assist is a statutory income support specifically for farmers on low-incomes. There are approximately 4,600 claims in payment at present. The Government has provided €53.9 million for the scheme for 2022.
Further to the commitments in the Programme for Government and in the Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, my Department reviewed the means assessment disregards for the Farm Assist. One of the key recommendations of the report was to expand the list of agri-environmental schemes as provided by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I recently introduced this measure effective from June 2022. Under the Farm Assist means test, income from these schemes currently attract a disregard of €2,540, with 50% of the balance assessed as means. The report is available on the Government's website.
I have introduced another improvement to the Farm Assist means test as part of Budget 2023. From January 2023, the amount of income from agri-environmental schemes that is disregarded will rise to €5,000.
The Review of the Farm Assist disregards also recommended that the two Departments would work together to identify schemes in Ireland's upcoming CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 which may be considered for inclusion in the list of schemes which attract the disregard in the means test for the Farm Assist Scheme. I am committed to this and will consider any additional schemes in that context.
Figures available on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's website indicate that the average level of payment under the Organic Farming Scheme is €5,460. The total cost of extending the disregard would depend on the number of farmers in receipt of Farm Assist who are receiving the Organic Farming Scheme and the level of payment being made. This information is not currently to hand.
I trust this clarifies the position.
