Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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53. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the amount it would cost to reinstate the payment levels under the farm assist scheme to pre-budget 2012 levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29376/15]

Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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55. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the amount it would cost to re-instate the income disregard levels under the Farm Assist Scheme to pre-budget 2012 levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29378/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 53 and 55 together.

The farm assist scheme provides support for farmers on low incomes and is similar to jobseeker’s allowance. The 2015 Revised Estimates for the Department provide for expenditure this year on the farm assist scheme of €88.7 million.

Recent changes have brought farm assist into closer alignment with the jobseeker’s allowance scheme’s treatment of self-employed persons but the headline weekly rates of farm assist have been maintained. This means that farm families with the lowest income have been the least affected by these changes.

The cost of aligning the income disregards for farm assist recipients with pre Budget 2012 levels would be in the order of €10m per annum.

Any changes to the scheme would have to be considered in a budgetary context.