Farmers who receive payments under the Farm Assist and Rural Social Scheme will be in line for the social welfare Christmas bonus.

Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary has announced the details for the Christmas Bonus, which will be paid to approximately 1.5 million people on various social welfare schemes this week.

Payments totalling €370 million will be issued from today, with people receiving their Christmas Bonus on the same day that they usually receive their primary payment.

People who are on one of some 30 different schemes can receive the bonus, with two of those schemes being Farm Assist and the Rural Social Scheme.

Minister Calleary commented: "I am very conscious of the pressure families are under particularly in the run up to Christmas. The Christmas Bonus is a vital support, particularly for our senior citizens.

"That’s why I am pleased to announce the details of the Christmas Bonus Payments today. 1.5 million people will benefit including our pensioners, people with disabilities, carers, and lone parents," the minister added.

Minister Calleary also urged people to shop locally during the Christmas period.

"As always, I would encourage people, where possible, to shop locally in the run-up to Christmas this year. By shopping locally, you are supporting your local economy, your local community and your local small businesses," he said.

Farm Assist

Farm Assist is a means-tested payment for low-income farmers.

To qualify for Farm Assist, you must:

Be a farmer in the state;
Be aged between 18 and 66;
Satisfy a means test.

You are considered a farmer if you are farming land that you own or lease for the purpose of husbandry (taking produce from the land).

Rural Social Scheme

The Rural Social Scheme provides a supplementary income for low-income farmers and fishers who are unable to earn an adequate living.

To qualify for the scheme, you must be getting a qualifying social welfare payment. In return, people participating in the scheme provide services that benefit rural communities.

You must work 19.5 hours per week. These hours are based on a farmer or fisher-friendly schedule. This ensures that participation on the scheme does not affect your farming or fishing activities.

If you get a place on the scheme, you are offered a contract from your start date up to the following March 31. You may be considered for a further term following the initial contract, if you continue to meet all the criteria for the scheme.