Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

I oppose this section in conjunction with my colleague, Senator McFadden. I spoke extensively about the possible fall-out from the cut in jobseeker's allowance to €100 or €150 a week for young people. I have not referred to another group of young people: young farmers. I am sure the Minister is aware that farm incomes are down 30% on last year and were down 12% on the previous year, a fall of 42% within two years. As other speakers have observed, those same farmers have suffered REPS cuts, delays in the farm waste management scheme and the complete cut in installation aid for young farmers.

A total of 10,000 farmers are on farm assist. It is very difficult to qualify for farm assist. It is a means-tested payment but is based on the submission of the previous year's accounts. I have been dealing with some accounts technicians working with the likes of IFAC, the Irish Farm Accounts Co-operative society. They have informed me that farmers are in dire straits because last year's set of accounts may have been reasonably all right but this year sees them in desperate financial circumstances. They really need this payment. It might be helpful for the Department to note that it is expected there will be a flood of applications for farm assist, which is a social welfare benefit, in early 2010. I hope farmers will be able to complete their accounts for this year on time and they will show the degree to which their income has fallen. Furthermore, part-time farmers who would not necessarily qualify for farm assist would most likely apply for jobseeker's allowance or jobseeker's benefit. Many young farmers who had a part-time job but have now lost it are also suffering a cut in benefit down to €100 to €150. I do not know if that is what the Minister intended by this measure. Full-time farmers' incomes now range between €13,000 and 16,000 per year, which is an incredibly low income.

I would like the Minister to address the issue of the fall in farm incomes and to address, in particular, that the benefit payment is not sufficiently flexible to enable farmers who have suffered an severe fall in income to qualify for the farm assist, as they need to have completed the previous year's set of accounts. I had planned to speak about this issue earlier, but I did not get to do so. I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for allowing me to do so now.