Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

-----and that he would like the boat owner to have access to the class P insurance. We can certainly examine that. In 2012, for instance, 16 individuals opted to pay class P contributions. I do not know if the people the Deputy is describing are full-time fishermen or fishermen and farmers because they may have other social welfare connections. We would need to examine it on a case by case basis to determine how many people are likely to be involved. The Deputy is talking about the north west but there might be people for whom this is an issue in other parts of the country. In terms of the income situation of a fisherman or a farmer deteriorating badly as a result of storms, we changed the system to allow them come into it in the context of their current circumstances. It was the case that it was on a preceding year basis. It is means tested, as the Deputy said, but approximately 90% of applications for jobseeker's allowance, providing they meet the means test, are granted whereas three or four years ago very few were granted.

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