Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a farmer or fisherperson in receipt of farm assist and fish assist have to be available for employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8339/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Farm assist is a statutory, stand-alone means tested scheme which provides an income supplement to farmers. There is no requirement for farm assist customers to be available for other work outside of farming. The term ‘fish assist’ is used to describe a feature of the jobseeker’s allowance scheme and refers to the means assessment which applies to certain categories of self-employed fishermen within that scheme. To qualify for jobseeker’s allowance, a self-employed fisherman must satisfy all of the scheme conditions, including the requirement to be available for work.