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1408. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of carers that qualify for the carer’s allowance in the wake of changes to income disregards, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46770/25]

1412. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Social Protection whether foster carers allowance can be used to qualify persons for a State pension (contributory); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46888/25]

1429. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to remove the means test for carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47439/25]

1438. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of carers allowance applications received in Dublin Bay North in 2023 and 2024, and the number approved, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47478/25]

2676. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health to estimate the cost of providing a medical card to all individuals receiving the carer’s allowance if the means test is removed. [47509/25]

1749. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people receiving full or half rate carer's allowance that have had a review of their claim twice in eight months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40812/25]

1767. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of long waiting times currently in his Department regarding the settling of appeals, particularly in terms of appeals on carers’ allowance and invalidity pension and other benefits, causing financial hardship to those waiting for a decision; the plans he has to tackle these long wait times and ensure a more efficient and…

1772. Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated timeframe for completion of reviews of applications for carer’s allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41396/25]

1773. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the carer’s allowance application of a person (details supplied). [41398/25]

1774. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans his Department has to make those carers in receipt of a State pension eligible for the full rate of carer’s allowance, rather than the present half rate, if he will acknowledge that many pensioners who are providing care to a family member 24/7 are struggling financially; and if he will make a statement on the matt…

1776. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the projected cost in 2026 of increasing the income disregard for carer’s allowance to €750 (single) and €1,500 (couple); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41415/25]

1792. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are plans to increase the payment rate for people in receipt of half-rate carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41748/25]

1804. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the timeframe for new applications for carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41982/25]

1809. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the timeframe for appeals with the social welfare appeals office for carer's allowance, broken down into county and wait time by 1 month, 3 months and so on, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41987/25]

1822. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if a detailed response will issue to a carer’s allowance case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42287/25]

1881. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the carer’s allowance income disregard to €750 single, and €1,500 for a couple; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44042/25]

1886. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the projected cost of providing carer’s allowance at a full rate to those caring for two or more people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44048/25]

1887. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the projected cost of allowing those in receipt of the State pension to retain a full-rate carer’s allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44049/25]

397. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for carer's allowance, now under appeal, will be expedited for a person (details supplied). [40453/25]

271. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if she is considering abolishing means testing for the carer’s allowance (details supplied); and if the case of a person will be examined. [39991/25]

609. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline the process for applying for carer’s allowance and if it is necessary for the applicant to be physically seen by the social welfare officer (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38697/25]

620. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people refused carer’s allowance in the first six months of 2025 due to exceeding the income threshold. [38830/25]

633. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people in receipt of carer’s allowance in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38988/25]

638. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a carer’s allowance appeal decision in respect of a person from County Louth (details supplied), noting that the appeal was received by the appeals office on 31 July 2024. [39007/25]

651. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing the carer’s allowance weekly travel disregard by €1. [39263/25]

When I consider the programme for Government we are now asked to speak about, the image that comes to mind is from the plinth in the early stages of the Dáil when a number of members of the Government, who are now established as members of the Government, stood there and said they would support this Government through the good times and the bad. That phrase has been reiterated in different context…

Is onóir mhór dom é seasamh os bhur gcomhair inniu agus an Teachta Mary Lou McDonald a ainmniú mar Thaoiseach. Inniu, táimid ag teacht le chéile chun Rialtas na Dála seo a thoghadh. Teastaíonn Taoiseach a thuigeann na deacrachtaí atá againn sa tír seo ach chomh maith leis sin a fheiceann na deiseanna gur féidir linn a chothú chun saol agus tír i bhfad Éireann níos fearr a chruthú. Is é sin an cine…

Ar dtús gabhaim míle buíochas leis na céadta míle duine a chaith vóta san olltoghchán ar son Shinn Féin, ar son athraithe agus ar son Rialtais nua. Déanaim comhghairdeas ó chroí le gach duine sa Teach inniu a toghadh mar Theachta Dála sa Cheathrú Dáil is Tríocha. Is onóir mhór é a bheith tofa ag toghdóirí mo Dháilcheantair agus tá sé i gceist agam mo lándícheall a dhéanamh ar son Bhaile Átha Cliat…

As the Minister of State is well aware, there are an awful lot of problems regarding the provision of home packages. One of the big issues that strikes me is the privatisation of it. At the moment, about 60% of the home care packages are provided by private companies. It used to be the opposite way around. It was 60% to 40%. A total of 60% or 70% of packages in years gone by were provided by the S…

Tairgim leasú Uimh. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "recognises that: — the Government acknowledges that disabled people face additional costs in their daily lives; — the Government's determination to address this issue is reflected in the Programme for Government commitment, to introduce a permanent Annual Cost of Disability Support Payment; — delive…

I thank the Deputy for this question. The Government acknowledges the very valuable role that family carers play and we are fully committed to supporting carers in that role. The commitment is recognised in the programme for Government and in budget changes for 2026 where the earnings limit for carer’s benefit will increase from €625 to €1,000 after tax from July, there will be a €10 increase in t…

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to entitle certain persons caring for others to be entered in the register of postal voters, for that purpose to amend the Electoral Act 1992, and to provide for related matters. I am very happy to introduce the Electoral (Postal Voting) (Carers) Bill 2026 for family carers throughout this country. For too long, family carers have…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this legislation. I want to be very clear from the outset that this is an incredibly important and necessary Bill, and one I am proud to support. At its core, this Bill is about recognising that the world of child welfare and protection has changed significantly since the original Child Care Act was introduced in 1991. The challenges facing children and famili…

I am regularly contacted by parents in my constituency expressing their frustration and despair at the assessments of need process, the lengthy delays and the fact that parents have to fight every step of the way to get an appropriate assessment for their child. One mother told me how her daughter waited nearly three years for an assessment and received no supports in the meantime. She would have …

I thank the Deputies for raising this important issue. In order to overcome the challenges within the care system that were highlighted on the programme and which have been raised by the Deputies, which I acknowledge, the Department secured an overall increase of €177 million for Tusla in the most recent budget. That is representing a 14% increase in Tusla's budget over 2025. This brings Tusla's t…

I thank the Labour Party for moving this motion to ensure this important issue is aired in the Dáil Chamber. I too welcome the delegation who are here to witness proceedings. This debate provides an opportunity to discuss the challenges, frustrations and failings that carers grapple with daily. It allows us to acknowledge the immense contribution they make to the loved ones they care for and to so…

I really like numbers. I look at numbers all the time. There are approximately 750,000 people who are about to go on auto-enrolment in January, approximately 1.5 million recipients of social protection payments and zero offshore wind farms in this country that are operational. A magic number I just discovered is minus €250. The reason I really like numbers is that they often bring clarity. Politic…

Absolutely. I think in a couple of weeks the Deputy will see a full indication of this Government's ongoing commitment to carers. As he knows, the carer's benefit is subject to an earnings limit of €450 per week after tax. As part of budget 2025, the income limit will increase to €625 with effect from July, which will allow far more carers to avail of carer's benefit. We also extended the flexibil…

This time last year, in advance of the general election, the Government injected a sugar rush of once-off measures into the Irish economy, including a double payment for long-term social welfare individuals; €300 for fuel allowance on 4 November; €400 for working family payment on 4 November; €400 for disability invalidity pension and blind pension on 4 November; two double payments for child paym…

I would be very happy to meet the group. I thank Deputy Wall, Deputy McGreehan and Senator Tully for the work they are doing. It is good to see a cross-party approach to this issue. I think in all our election manifestos we all promised a roughly similar direction of travel. I spoke to Family Carers Ireland this week. I am looking forward to meeting them and Care Alliance Ireland shortly too. It i…

Go raibh maith agat. We have been here before. It has been 20 long years, as other Members said, since we saw the distressing footage of conditions at Leas Cross nursing home. Unfortunately, what we saw on the "RTÉ Investigates" programme replicated those horrific and dark days. I thank Aoife Hegarty, the "RTÉ Investigates" programme and, of course, Clare Doyle, the whistleblower, for exposing the…

I do not think anyone here would disagree with the Deputy's assessment. I will ask my Department to do a lot of work on the supports that are available to carers. They are often so engaged in giving the care that they do not have the chance to know of the full supports that exist, many of which are not mean tested, including the carer's support grant, carer's benefit, the domiciliary care allowanc…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion. I appreciate that the Minister is supporting it. The means test for carers is mentioned in the programme for Government. I have seen many cases where people's sons or daughters went from the west to Dublin or wherever else and when they came home to mind their parents they were not allowed to get the carer's grant because they had a house in Dubl…

For the information of the House, Committee Stage of the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 is starting at 3.30 p.m. The Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, will come in after I have spoken. Officials will take note of matters raised by all Deputies here and we will respond. It is outside my control as the committee meeting was scheduled by the committee. Since 2022, we have seen sign…

I have discussed this with the Deputy on a number of occasions and we are absolutely agreed on the importance of foster carers. There is appreciation of and agreement on that across the House. Foster carers play a vital role in enabling our most vulnerable children to live in a safe, secure and stable home environment. While eligibility for the State pension, as the Deputy said, is a matter for t…

The carer's benefit scheme allows people who are working to take time off to care for family members, often children. It is not means tested and it is based on PRSI contributions. It has a requirement that people must work a minimum of 16 hours per week in the period prior to their claim. This is patently unfair to teachers who work, say, 11 hours per week and are deemed not to qualify.

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "welcomes that: — Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, operates as the single dedicated agency with a clear statutory remit; — Tusla is held to account through robust governance and oversight arrangements; — Tusla is served by well qualified staff who are committed to delivering essential child prote…

I thank Deputy Kenny for raising this matter. I am answering on behalf of the Minister for Health. I have the details and response on the guidelines and policy around incontinence pads. I will give the Deputy these as part of my response but I assure him that I will be following this case up further, on the back of his contribution, with the Department of Health and the HSE. The guidelines and po…

There is a commitment in the programme for Government. What is really helpful to us as well is the public consultation we are having. It is a great framework for us to engage with the Department of Social Protection regarding this issue because it is an issue that is consistently raised by foster carers themselves. We need to do all we can to secure the foster carers who are involved in providing …

There is no doubt that everyone has come into the Chamber to talk about the RTÉ programme. As a daughter who had a father in residential care, and as a sister who has a 55-year-old brother in residential care with Lewy body syndrome, I actually could not watch the programme. Like many people who have a parent or a member of the family in residential care, we are often overridden by guilt. Even whe…