John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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112. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he plans to enhance the farm assist and fish assist scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2841/26]

John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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113. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will include seaweed harvesting for a bespoke social protection scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2842/26]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 113 together.

Farm Assist is a statutory means-tested income support specifically for farmers on low incomes. There are approximately 3,200 claims in payment at present. The government has provided almost €44 million for the scheme in 2026.

Fish Assist is available to self-employed fishers on a low income under the means-tested Jobseeker's Allowance scheme and is based on the conditions and rate of payment on the Farm Assist scheme.

The Farm Assist scheme is similar to Jobseeker's Allowance in a number of ways, such as the retention of secondary benefits and access to activation programmes where a person may want to take up off-farm employment or is seeking educational or training opportunities.

However, the means test is more generous on Farm Assist. For example, under Jobseeker's, self-employed income is assessed at 100%; this is reduced to 70% under Farm Assist. Child disregards apply under Farm Assist which do not exist for Jobseeker's. In addition, account is taken of any exceptional circumstances to ensure that the assessment for the scheme reflects the current situation accurately.

Legislation also provides for a disregard in the means test for Farm Assist for income from a range of agri-environmental schemes, whereby the first €5,000, increased from €2540 from January 2023, of such income is disregard in full, with 50% of the balance assessed as means. A Review into the means test disregards for Farm Assist completed in 2021 recommended that that the list of agri-environmental schemes that qualify for the disregard should be significantly increased. The list has been expanded since then from 4 schemes to 29 schemes. I am committed to working with my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, to keeping this disregard under review in the context of Ireland's CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027.

Farm Assist claimants can move to the Rural Social Scheme, which provides a supplementary income for low-income farmers aged 25 years or over. Participants work 19.5 hours per week providing services that benefit rural communities and receive a top-up on their social welfare payment.

In Budget 2026 I secured increases in social welfare payment rates, including the personal rates, increases for qualified adults and Child Support Payments that are payable for Farm Assist, Fish Assist and the Rural Social Scheme.

Where a person is eligible for either Farm Assist or Jobseeker's Allowance, income up to €1,270 per year earned by that person, or their spouse, civil partner or cohabitant, from seaweed harvesting is not assessed in the means assessment for their claim.

I am satisfied with the current arrangements and do not intend to introduce a bespoke social welfare scheme for seaweed harvesting. Sectoral supports for the seafood industry, including seaweed harvesting, is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.