2014-04-22 - Socio Economic Review 2014 - Full text and cover - FINAL

Table 13.1: Distribution of Family Farm Income in Ireland 2012
€ < 5,000 5,000 – 10,000 - 20,000 - > 50,000
10,000 20,000 50,000
% 19 17 21 27 16
Number 15,030 13,448 16,612 21,358 12,656
Source: IFA, 2014
The majority of farm families rely on income support and payments from the state
to supplement their income. The value of subsidies less taxes on production decreased
by 7.1% from €1,667.1m in 2012 to €1,548.8m in 2013 (CSO, 2014). Table 13.2 shows
that by the end of 2013 there were 10,500 families receiving the Farm Assist
payment. Off-farm employment and income is extremely important to farming
households and the fall in availability of off-farm employment due to the recession
will increase the dependence of farms on direct subsidies to avoid rural poverty and
social exclusion.
Table 13.2: Farm Assist Expenditure (€m) 2006-2013
Year Expenditure (€m) Number Benefiting Average Payment
(€/week)
2006 71 7,650 179
2007 79 7,400 205
2008 85 7,710 213
2009 96 8,845 209
2010 111 10,700 199
2011 114 11,300 190
2012 99 11,200 171
2013 92 10,500 168
Source: IFA 2014
Agriculture and direct employment from agricultural activities have been declining
in Ireland. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has outlined its
vision of the future of Irish Agriculture in Food Harvest 2020 (Department of
Agriculture, Food and the Marine, 2011). It envisages that by 2020 the Irish agrifood
industry will have developed and grown in a sustainable manner by delivering
high quality, natural-based produce. This requires the industry to adopt a ‘smart
economy’ approach by investing in skills, innovation and research. This signals a
244 Socio-Economic Review 2014