Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 351: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will allow a disregard of €3,000 for forestry premium payments regarding means assessment for social welfare payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26307/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Following the introduction of the farm assist scheme in 1999, farm income, including payments under the forest premium scheme, is now assessed on a more favourable basis than hitherto was the case. All gross yearly income, both on the farm and off-farm, engaged in by the farmer and his or her spouse or partner is reduced to allow for all costs necessarily incurred in carrying out the self-employed assessment. In addition, €254 per annum of the net income is disregarded for each of the first two qualified children and €381 per annum is disregarded for each subsequent child. Of the remaining balance, 70% of the balance is assessed as means. Any change in the current arrangements relating to the assessment of the farm assist scheme would have budgetary implications and could only be considered in a budgetary context.