4,925 low-income farmers across the country received Farm Assist payments last year, according to the Department of Social Protection.

Donegal was the county with the highest number of eligible recipients for the means-tested social welfare payment, followed by Mayo and Galway.

The lowest number of recipients was in Dublin.

The following table provides a county-by-county breakdown of Farm Assist recipients for 2021:

In June, Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys introduced major changes to the Farm Assist means test.

A new ‘income disregard’ measure will ensure farmers who participate in agri-environmental schemes will not see their social welfare payments impacted.

Grants of up to €2,450 earned through agri-environmental schemes will be disregarded, with the remaining balance assessed at 50%.

Meanwhile, the Department of Social Protection confirmed to Agriland that there was a total of 3,273 participants and 146 supervisors employed through the Rural Social Scheme (RSS) in 2021.

RSS is an income support initiative to provide part-time employment opportunities in the community and voluntary organisations for farmers or fishermen in receipt of certain social-welfare payments and who are under-employed in their primary occupation.

The scheme is delivered through 36 local development companies and Údarás Na Gaeltachta.

Mayo had the highest number of RSS participants in 2021 with 679, followed by Galway and Donegal.

The following table provides a county-by-county breakdown of RSS participants and team leaders who received payment in 2021: