Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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1062. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress made to date with the review taking place in her Department on means testing of social welfare schemes; when it is hoped this review will be completed; whether it is intended to include reforms to means testing in the forthcoming budget and social welfare Bill this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39294/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Means tests in my Department are kept under regular review and a number of significant changes have been made in recent years. I have introduced a number of changes to means testing, including providing for higher income disregards. These disregards ensure that, where people are in receipt of a social assistance payment and are working, their income from work, to the level of the income disregard, is not assessed in the means test.

I have committed to a carrying out a broad review of means testing this year which will include consideration of means test provisions. This review is ongoing and I hope to complete it in Quarter 4.

Some changes may be introduced as part of Budget 2024, however these details are yet to be finalised as they have to be considered as part of the wider budgetary landscape.

I trust that clarifies matters for the Deputy.