The number of Farm Assist recipients fell by nearly 11% in 2022 compared to the previous year, provisional data from the Department of Social Protection shows.
According to the department, 4,457 low-income farmers across the country received the payment last year.
This is down from 5,004 recipients in 2021 and 5,511 in 2020.
Farm Assist
A spokesperson for the department told Agriland that Farm Assist is “a demand-led scheme”.
“The numbers in receipt of a Farm Assist payment are falling mainly due to the age profile of the customers.
“The department will monitor the impact of changes to the scheme on recipient numbers,” they added.
The table below provides a county-by-county breakdown of the total number of recipients of payments under the scheme in 2022:
County Recipients Carlow 33 Cavan 146 Clare 143 Cork 313 Donegal 910 Dublin 56 Galway 380 Kerry 303 Kildare 11 Kilkenny 48 Laois 39 Leitrim 198 Limerick 113 Longford 93 Louth 39 Mayo 737 Meath 25 Monaghan 227 Offaly 45 Roscommon 69 Sligo 108 Tipperary 138 Waterford 36 Westmeath 123 Wexford 101 Wicklow 23 TOTAL 4,457
Budget 2023 increased the maximum personal weekly Farm Assist payment rate by €12 to €220, with proportionate increases for qualified adults and qualified children. This came into effect in January 2023.
In terms of qualifying for the payment, the number of agri-environmental schemes that attract a disregard of €5,000 has been expanded, with 50% of the balance assessed as means.
The department is currently examining schemes in Ireland’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan 2023-2027 that could also be included in the list of schemes that attract a disregard for Farm Assist.
As part of the cost-of-living supports announced by government earlier this year a €200 lump-sum payment will be made to people in receipt of long-term social welfare payments, including Farm Assist and the Rural Social Scheme.
The additional payment will be paid to over 1.3 million people in the week commencing Monday, April 24.
The payment will be made to groups such as pensioners, carers, people with disabilities, lone parents, widows and widowers and will be paid in addition to their normal weekly payment.