Decisions on 12 applications to the Farm Assist scheme in 2021 were revised upon appeal according to data from Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys.
She was responding to a parliamentary question from Roscommon-Galway independent TD, Denis Naughten. He requested the minister provide details of the number of applications for social welfare assistance claims that were granted and refused, granted on review and granted on appeal by scheme.
Claims awarded on appeal are managed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office which functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
The minister added that all claim decisions taken by the department’s Deciding Officers and Designated Persons are appealable to the Chief Appeals Officer.
In any year, about 85% of all claims are awarded by the department and approximately 2% are appealed.
Farm Assist
In 2021, six Farm Assist applications were allowed on appeal, while a further 12 decisions were revised. A further four applications were partially allowed.
41 further applications were disallowed and four were withdrawn. A total of 72 appeals in relation to Farm Assist were finalised in 2021.
Minister Humphreys said: “There are a number of reasons why a decision which was refused at first instance might be successful on appeal and it is not necessarily the case that the first decision was incorrect.
“It is often the case that new evidence is provided with an appeal and that, as a result, the original decision may be revised by the Deciding Officer or Designated Person.
“Where the decision was not revised by the department in light of the appeal contentions, further evidence is often provided by the person concerned as the appeal process proceeds and in addition, the appeals officer may gain insights when they meet the person concerned in person at [an] oral hearing which may influence the outcome of the appeal.”
Changes to support scheme
Last month, Minister Humphreys introduced major changes to the Farm Assist means test.
A new ‘income disregard’ measure will ensure farmers who participate in agri-environmental schemes will not see their social welfare payments impacted.
The change will be applied to Farm Assist, Jobseeker’s Allowance and State (Non-Contributory) Pensions. The government is hoping that the move will incentivise more farmers to participate in the schemes.
Grants of up to €2,450 earned through agri-environmental schemes will be disregarded, with the remaining balance assessed at 50%.
Eg., a farmer who receives a grant of €2,000 through a scheme would not see any impact on their social welfare payment.