Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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662. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the amount spent on farm assist in 2012 and to date in 2013; if she will provide a breakdown by county of where recipients are based; do recipients need to prove that they are seeking work or intending to improve their income from their farm; if a person may remain on farm assist indefinitely and is each recipient's income reviewed annually or how regularly to continue to receive the payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35498/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Farm assist is a means-tested social assistance payment which is made to low income farmers aged between 18 and 66 years. The scheme takes into account all income from farming and off-farm self-employment, including that of the farmer’s spouse/partner, in which business-related expenses are disregarded. The purpose of this exercise is to estimate the normal level of net income from self-employment in which one-off exceptional circumstances are taken into account. All other factors, such as earnings from insurable employment and the estimated value of capital (including property other than the farm and the individual’s principal private residence), are also included in the assessment. Payment is made for as long as the qualifying conditions continue to be met.

There is no obligation on the farmer to seek alternative employment. However a disallowance may be imposed if a person purposely deprives himself or herself of an income in order to qualify for a social welfare payment.

Review forms are issued automatically to each farm assist recipient annually. These must be completed and returned by the farmer within a specified time frame. There is also an obligation on the farmer to advise the Department immediately of any relevant change in circumstances. In addition, a review of entitlement may be initiated at any time, either on request by the farmer, or by the Department.

Farm assist expenditure for 2012 was €108,170,000 and €51,075,287 from January 2013 to end June 2013. These figures are provisional as they subject to audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

Numbers of farm assist claims by county at end June 2013 is as follows: