Independent TD: Farmers under severe pressure with Covid-19 and livestock prices

Low-income farmers received nearly €69m under the social-welfare scheme Farm Assist last year.

Nearly 6,000 people received the Farm Assist payment, which is capped at €203 a week.

Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice says farmers are under severe pressure at the moment.

He says: "With the price of livestock at the moment, beef especially and sheep, which most of these people that get farm assist come from, it is very difficult for them at the moment.