Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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227. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the income he considers as off-farm income for joint applicants under the national reserve scheme and under the young farmers scheme; if he disregards income from the State pension, retirement pensions, State employment or any other income such as social protection payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6863/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The process of deciding objective criteria for the 2015 National Reserve was carried out in consultation with the Direct Payments Advisory Committee which includes members of the main farming bodies and advisory services. After consultation with this Committee, and in the context of the limited funding available to the National Reserve, it was decided that an off farm income limit of €40,000 would be applied to all applicants. The corresponding off-farm income limit under the Single Payment Scheme National Reserve was €30,000. Applicants under the Basic Payment Scheme National Reserve have the flexibility of choosing either of the two most recent tax years, whichever is more advantageous. There is no off-farm income limit applicable under the Young Farmers ’ Scheme.

For joint applicants under the National Reserve the gross off-farm income of all persons named on the herd number is taken into consideration. In determining the level of off-farm income earned by an applicant under the National Reserve, certain Department of Social Protection payments are deemed reckonable, including:

- Jobseekers Allowance

- Jobseekers Benefit

- Pre-Retirement Allowance

- Supplementary Welfare Allowance

- Jobseekers Benefit and Short-Term Enterprise Allowance

- Maternity Benefit.

The Department of Social Protection ‘State Pension’, including Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Pension, is excluded from the calculation to determine off-farm income. However, retirement pensions resulting from State employment or other employment are reckonable as off-farm income under the National Reserve.