John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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499. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if his Department will consider an increase in the income threshold for participants on the farm assist scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65010/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Farm Assist is a statutory means-tested income support specifically for farmers on low incomes. There are approximately 3,400 claims in payment at present. The government has provided almost €47 million for the scheme in 2025.

The assessment of means for the purpose of qualifying for Farm Assist is designed to reflect the actual net income from farming. Income and expenditure figures for the preceding year are generally used as an indicator of the expected position in the following year. However, account is taken of any exceptional circumstances to ensure that the assessment reflects the current situation accurately.

Income from different sources is assessed in different ways, and various disregards are applied as set out in the examples below.

Income from a number of agri-environmental schemes attracts a disregard of €5,000, increased from €2,540 from January 2023, with 50% of the balance then being assessed as means.

There are also annual disregards for dependent children; €254 for each of the first two children and €381 for the third and other children.

Remaining farm income and income from off-farm self-employment is then assessed at 70%, with 30% disregarded.

In line with the provisions for Jobseeker's Allowance, a disregard of €20 per day, up to a maximum of €60 for up to three days, applies to off-farm earnings from employment in the means test for Farm Assist, with 60% of the balance assessed as means.

Any changes to the Farm Assist scheme would have to be considered in a budgetary context, within the scope of the overall resources available for welfare improvements and with consideration to other social welfare schemes.