Responsibility for sectoral supports for the seafood industry, including seaweed harvesting, is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. My Department provides a number of income supports to people who may be engaged in seaweed harvesting, such as Fish Assist, Farm Assist and the Rural Social Schemes.
Fish Assist is available to self-employed fishers on a low income under the means-tested Jobseeker's Allowance scheme but is based on the means assessment for the Farm Assist scheme. Approximately 36 people currently receive support under Fish Assist. The assessment of means for Fish Assist is more generous than that applied to other self-employed Jobseeker's Allowance recipients. For example, while income from self-employment is generally assessed at 100% for Jobseeker's Allowance purposes, only 70% is assessed under Fish Assist. In addition, child-related disregards apply under Fish Assist but are not available under Jobseeker's Allowance.
Under Section 152 of the Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control Provisions) Regulations 2007, income of up to €1,270 per year derived from seaweed harvesting by either the claimant or their spouse is disregarded in the means assessment for Jobseeker's Allowance, Fish Assist and Farm Assist claims. The disregard was introduced in 1994 at the value of £1,000 per year.
Any changes to disregards for social welfare schemes would have to be considered in a Budgetary context. 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.
