Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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331. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will elaborate on the changes to the means test for farm assist which commences in April 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2418/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Support for farmers on low incomes is available through the farm assist scheme. At the end of last year there were 11,785 recipients on the scheme at a cost of €115 million. This means-tested payment is similar to the jobseeker’s allowance scheme, on which it is based. The farm assist scheme was introduced in 1999 to replace ‘Smallholders Unemployment Assistance’ for low income farmers, without the requirement to be available for and genuinely seeking work.

In Budget 2013 two measures were announced, for implementation in April 2013, which will bring the farm assist scheme into closer alignment with the jobseeker’s allowance scheme’s treatment of self-employed persons by:-

- a. Increasing the amount of means from self-employment, which is assessed against the claimant from 85% to 100%; and

- b. Discontinuing the means testing disregards for child dependents of claimants.

It is anticipated that these measures will achieve savings of €3.75 million in 2013, and €5 million in a full year, and will affect some 7,000 recipients.