Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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2068. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the approximate cost of changing farm assist means-testing rules in order that irrespective of the source of farm income the first €3,000 will be disregarded and the balance will be means tested at 50%. [28452/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Budget 2017 fully reversed the previous cuts to the Farm Assist means tests which were introduced in Budgets 2012 and 2013. The changes mean that now 70% of farm income is assessed as means, down from 100% being assessed as means (which is equivalent to a 30% income disregard). An additional annual means disregard of €254 for each of the first two children and €381 for the third and subsequent children was also introduced.

It is estimated that the cost of changing the farm assist means testing rules in order that irrespective of the source of income the first €3,000 would be disregarded and the balance would be means tested at 50% is approximately €15 million for a full year. This estimate is based on the existing number of recipients.

However, it is envisaged that there would be an inflow of new farm assist claims if these measures were introduced. The Department cannot quantify the numbers involved and as such cannot calculate the associated additional costs. Therefore, the estimated cost of €15 million should be regarded as a minimum estimate.

Any changes to means assessment would have to be considered in a budgetary context.