Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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83. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she has analysed the impact the changes to income disregard in the farm assist scheme have had on farmers; if she will reconsider these changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40147/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The farm assist scheme provides support for farmers on low incomes and is similar to jobseeker’s allowance. Farm assist recipients retain the advantages of the jobseeker’s allowance scheme such as the retention of secondary benefits and access to activation programmes. The 2015 Revised Estimates for the Department provide for expenditure of almost €89 million on the farm assist scheme.

Changes introduced in Budgets 2012 and 2013 have brought farm assist into closer alignment with the jobseeker’s allowance scheme’s treatment of self-employed persons. Farm families with the lowest income were least affected by these changes as the headline rates of farm assist were maintained.

In Budget 2016, I am in a position to provide a 75% Christmas Bonus payment for all long term welfare recipients, including recipients of farm assist. Recipients of farm assist with children are benefiting from the increase in child benefit rate of €5 per month announced in the Budget. In addition farm assist recipients eligible for the fuel allowance will gain from the increase of €2.50 per week over the fuel season.

The Department has published a social impact assessment of Budget 2016, which includes both the social welfare and income tax measures. This estimates the likely distributive effects of the budgetary measures using a tax-welfare simulation model known as SWITCH, including the impact on household income, families, poverty and access to employment. The social impact assessment shows that average household incomes increase by 1.6 per cent (equivalent of €14 per week) as a result of Budget 2016. Furthermore, there are higher than average gains for the poorest households, which contain mainly social welfare recipients.

Farm assist is kept under ongoing review from a policy and an administrative point of view by my officials, including regular discussions with the IFA. There are no plans to change the current scheme criteria.