Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 January 2026
427. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will seek a review of the means-testing arrangements affecting farm families where one parent is a full-time unpaid carer and the sole farm income marginally exceeds thresholds, despite high costs associated with third-level education and caring responsibilities; and if measures will be considered to alleviate this hardship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66666/25]
View answer428. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Social Protection the current means-testing system for farm households to ensure that depreciation of machinery and equipment is properly accounted for when assessing farm income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66665/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 427 and 428 together.
My Department provides a number of income supports available to small scale farmers.
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.
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, income and costs accurately.
In the case of capital assets, such as farm machinery and equipment, the capital cost is not allowed as an expense. Instead, an allowance is made for the depreciation of these assets in accordance with guidelines which are available on the Government's website.
Legislation 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 €2,540 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 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.
The Government acknowledges the valuable role that family carers play and remains fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This is recognised in the Programme for Government. My Department provides a range of income supports for carers, including Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance, and the annual Carer's Support Grant.
There have been significant improvements made recently to the carer supports provided. As part of Budget 2026, I announced a range of measures to support family carers, which take effect this year. This includes a €10 increase in the weekly personal rate of Carer's Benefit and Carer's Allowance, increases to the Child Support Payment, and a €20 increase to the monthly Domiciliary Care Allowance payment, from January 2026.
From July, there will be a further very significant increase in the Carer's Allowance income disregard to €1,000 for a single person and €2,000 for a couple. Since June 2022, this amounts to cumulative increases to the disregards of €667.50 and €1,335 respectively, or an increase of just over 200%. In line with Carer’s Allowance, the earnings limit for Carer’s Benefit will also increase from €625 to €1,000, after tax.
The Deputy is welcome to bring individual cases to my attention so that they can be examined to determine the appropriate support for the particular circumstances.
