John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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802. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection for an update on the comprehensive review of means tests across the social welfare system, as committed in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23773/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Means tests and income thresholds are kept under regular review and a number of significant changes have been made in recent years. In particular, a number of changes to means testing which provide for higher income disregards have been introduced. These disregards ensure that, where people are in receipt of a social assistance payment and are working, a certain level of income from that work is not assessed in the means test.

A comprehensive review of means testing in the social protection system is currently under way in my Department. The purpose of the review of means testing is to look at the different means tested schemes and to identify any issues in terms of the application of their respective means test.

The Department has over 90 schemes and a significant number are means tested schemes, each with their own means test. This is complex and detailed work but the review is currently being finalised and will be presented to me shortly.

The outcome of the review will inform decisions regarding any potential changes to means testing, including in the run up to Budget 2026. All prospective changes to means testing arrangements will have to be considered in both an overall policy and budgetary context.