Latest news with #FrancessMcDonnell
Agriland
21-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Listen: AgriFocus - Fair Deal and the family farm
Listen: AgriFocus – Fair Deal and the family farm May 21, 2025 5:06 pm In this episode of AgriFocus Francess McDonnell is joined by Ann Griffin, regional advocate for the north-west with Sage Advocacy – which is the National Advocacy Service for Older People – to chat about what happens to the family farm if an older person needs to consider nursing home care. According to Ann Griffin there can be a deep fear among some farmers and their families about what it will mean for the future of the farm if they sign up to the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, also known as the Fair Deal – which provides financial support to help pay for the cost of nursing home care. The regional advocate said that some people fear this will mean the end of the farm, but she said this is not the case. She told the AgriFocus podcast that under the Fair Deal scheme an individual pays a certain amount towards the total cost of nursing home care and the HSE then pays the remainder. This is based on the HSE carrying out a financial assessment to work out how much an individual may need to pay towards their nursing home care and this is based on their income and their assets. There are two types of assets assessed – cash assets and non-cash assets – which includes a person's home, any land they may own and farms. There is a 3-year cap limit on how much a person pays towards nursing home care as part of the Fair Deal scheme – that includes homes, farms and businesses – but there are also conditions which Ann has advised older people must be aware of. During this episode of the AgriFocus the regional advocate for Sage Advocacy also highlighted some of the key issues facing people who getting older in rural Ireland today.
Agriland
24-04-2025
- Business
- Agriland
The Farming Week podcast: Beef prices; suckler scheme and potential GAEC 2 payment
The Farming Week podcast: Beef prices; suckler scheme and potential GAEC 2 payment April 24, 2025 5:05 pm Francess McDonnell, Breifne O'Brien and Aisling O'Brien bring you the biggest stories of the week in Irish agriculture from Agriland, which this week includes: 30c/kg taken off peak beef price offers; Details on new suckler scheme confirmed; Potential GAEC 2 payment as part of CAP simplification; Carbery operating profit up 20%; 26,000ha of wind damaged forests Tidy Towns groups will no longer have to pay insurance costs. Don't forget to rate, review and follow The Farming Week, Agriland's weekly review of Irish agriculture, and visit for more.
Agriland
22-04-2025
- General
- Agriland
Listen: AgriFocus - Will ACRES farmers get burnt on scorecards because of wildfires?
Listen: AgriFocus – Will ACRES farmers get burnt on scorecards because of wildfires? April 22, 2025 5:00 pm On this week's episode of AgriFocus, we take a closer look at why the fallout from wildfires which swept through some parts of the country earlier this month could deliver fresh challenges for some farmers in ACRES. Joining Agriland's Francess McDonnell on this episode of AgriFocus is Fergal Monaghan, programme director for ACRES Breifne, Leinster and Munster/South Connaught regions. Fergal has has 25 years' experience in the agri-environment sector, including 20 years as a farm advisor working with farmers in high nature value areas throughout Ireland. He sets out what support and guidance is available to farmers who may be concerned about the negative effects of wildfire and why it is important for them to have mitigation procedures in place. The programme director for ACRES Breifne, Leinster and Munster/South Connaught regions also highlighted what measures farmers can put in place, including bracken strimming, managed grazing and raising the water table on peatland commonages. The fortnightly AgriFocus podcast series takes a closer look at some of the key issues that directly impact on farmers, rural communities and the agri-sector.
