Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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114. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of farmers in receipt of the farm assist payment; the county in which most of the payments are made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14924/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 138 together.

Farm Assist is a statutory income support specifically for farmers on low-incomes. Government has provided €49.4 million for the scheme in 2023.

There are just under 4,400 claims in payment at present. This compares with just over 4,800 claims in payment at the same time period in 2022. The county with the highest number of Farm Assist claims in payment is Donegal, which accounts for approximately 20 percent of all claims.

I have made a number of improvements to the means assessment for Farm Assist in recent years. Following a review of means testing disregards for the scheme in 2021, I significantly expanded the list of agri-environmental schemes that attract a specific disregard for Farm Assist, from June 2022. In addition, I increased the amount of the disregard for agri-environmental schemes, which almost doubled the amount from €2,540 to €5,000. This measure came into effect in January 2023.

The 2021 review also recommended that my Department would work with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to identify schemes in Ireland's Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan 2023-2027 which may be considered for inclusion in the list of agri-environmental schemes which attract a disregard for Farm Assist. This process is underway.

I trust this clarifies the position.