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Over 300 Farmers Across Midlands Received Social-Welfare Assists In 2019

Friday, 8 May 2020 07:15

In total, the government payed out around €123m to farmers in Ireland under two schemes.

Farmers received up to 123 million euro in social-welfare payments last year. 

Over 9,100 people were paid the money under the Farm Assist or Rural Social Schemes.

Farm Assist is a means-tested payment for low-income farmers, paid by the Department of Social Protection. 

The maximum weekly rate is 203 euro.

Last year, 5,971 farmers across the country received the payment - coming to nearly 69 million euro. 

The highest amount of farmers were in Donegal, at 1,045, followed by Mayo, Galway, Kerry, Cork and Monaghan.

Almost 200 farmers in the midlands availed of the scheme.

79 in Westmeath, 58 in Laois and 51 in Offaly received a payment from the department of social protection.

The Rural Social Scheme is a different social-welfare payment made to farmers and fishermen.

Its minimum weekly amount is 225.50. 

Last year, 3,169 fishermen and farmers got this payment, totaling nearly 55 million euro. 

The highest amounts were in Mayo and Galway. 

56 in Offaly, 43 in Westmeath and 24 in Laois received this payment, bringing the total recipients in the midlands across both schemes to 311. 

The total amounts across the two schemes are almost identical to the previous year. 

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