Farm Assist

Number of farmers applying to farm assist falls (€88.4m paid out last year)

Rural Life

Number of farmers applying to farm assist falls (€88.4m paid out last year)

Total expenditure under the Farm Assist Scheme between 2012 and 2015 stood at €389.4m, the Minister for Social Protection has said.

Budget changes to Farm Assist save the Government €10m a year

Agri-Business

Budget changes to Farm Assist save the Government €10m a year

Changes made in the Budgets of 2012 and 2013 to the Farm Assist scheme saw the Government save over €10m per year.

'When was the last time you were on a farm?'- Burton criticised over farm assist changes

Agri-Business

'When was the last time you were on a farm?'- Burton criticised over farm assist changes

Minister Joan Burton came in for some severe criticism in the Dail this week over recent changes to the farm assist scheme.

No plans to change Farm Assist criteria - Burton

Agri-Business

No plans to change Farm Assist criteria - Burton

There are no plans to change the current criteria for accessing farm assist applications, according to the Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton.

9,400 farmers will claim farm assist every week this year

Agri-Business

9,400 farmers will claim farm assist every week this year

The farm assist scheme was introduced in 1999 to replace 'Smallholders Unemployment Assistance' for low income farmers, without the requirement to be available for and genuinely seeking work.

Agri-Business

Goverment to spend €91m Farm Assist payments in 2014

Goverment to spend €91m Farm Assist payments in 2014