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356. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will expedite a carer’s allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13148/25]

994. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in receipt of carer's allowance, a qualifying payment for fuel allowance, had their fuel allowance application refused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10749/25]

998. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to urgently address and rectify a carer’s allowance overpayment for a person (details supplied). [10818/25]

1009. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection to examine a case affecting carers, allowance entitlements for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11185/25]

1016. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection when he plans to make the changes to the carer’s allowance means test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11429/25]

1029. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person in receipt of the carer’s allowance, and who has passed the means test for the fuel allowance, is assessed for the fuel allowance in their own right or does everyone in the household need to qualify in order for the applicant to be successful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11644/25]

1030. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people in receipt of the carer’s allowance who have applied for the fuel allowance; and of these, the number of applications who have been successful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11645/25]

1062. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update for a person (details supplied) on their carer’s allowance application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12278/25]

1068. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in receipt of carer's allowance a qualifying payment for fuel allowance, had their fuel allowance application refused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12523/25]

1070. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of reviews carried out on carer’s allowance over the last five years, and the number per year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12599/25]

1071. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the criteria for selecting a carer’s allowance recipient for review; if there a limit on the number of times a person can be selected for review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12600/25]

1072. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if it is correct that his Department is including a total household income review in current reviews that are being received by carer’s allowance recipients; the reason for including this request; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12601/25]

1073. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for carer’s allowance in the name of a person (details supplied) will be reviewed immediately and approved. [12602/25]

1086. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures he plans to take to ensure that necessary and appropriate care is being provided to family members in the context of the planned expansion of the carer’s allowance. [12953/25]

118. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update and timeline for the removal of the means test for carer’s allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9860/25]

463. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is satisfied that the correct decision was made in revoking carer’s allowance from person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9110/25]

466. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason his Department is seeking to cut the rate of carer's allowance for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9332/25]

470. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a decision on carer’s allowance appeal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9463/25]

477. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will reply to correspondence regarding means testing of the carer’s allowance (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9689/25]

84. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he intends to abolish the means test for the carer’s allowance; if this will be phased out; if he can provide a detailed timeline for it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9019/25]

86. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Social Protection the detail of how and when he intends to implement the Programme for Government commitment to abolish the income limit for the carer’s allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8927/25]

94. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the programme for Government's commitment to significantly increase the income disregards for carer’s allowance in each budget, with a view to phasing out the means test during the lifetime of this Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8319/25]

95. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans for phasing out the means test for the carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8262/25]

107. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection when the means test for the carer’s allowance will be removed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8605/25]

113. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection when the carer's allowance means-test will be scrapped. [6763/25]

At the outset, I thank the Labour Party for bringing forward this Private Members' motion on child poverty and homelessness. We are not by any means the poorest nation in the world, but poverty exists in our society. Poverty severely affects the very young, who are more vulnerable to ill-health because their bodies are not fully formed in comparison with those of teenagers and mature adults. Child…

Carers across Ireland are the backbone of our healthcare system, saving the State an estimated €20 billion annually. Despite this massive contribution, they remain undervalued and pushed to the brink due to systemic failure to provide adequate respite. Respite is not a luxury. It is a fundamental necessity that prevents burnout, protects mental health and ensures the most vulnerable in our society…

This is a budget of austerity at a time of plenty, which is incredible. No exaggeration, but this budget is going to make life for ordinary people harder at a time when we have a very large budget surplus and when €1.7 billion is being given to corporations in various forms of corporate welfare. If an alien had come down here at 1 o'clock today and listened to the budget speeches of the Ministers,…

I thank the Cathaoirleach for the opportunity to discuss the important topic of mental health today. It is fitting that mental health is one of the first themes for Dáil statements of this Government's term. It highlights the fact that this House recognises the importance of mental health and emphasises the well-known saying that there is no health without mental health. It was an absolute honour …

I thank all the Deputies for their contributions today, particularly Deputy Toole for her knowledge. What she spoke of was very informative for me. I know some pharmacists in my own area of Carlow and I can only say their work and commitment to the people in the area is brilliant. First, I thank Deputies again. I know that the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, has outlined that the proposed chan…

Gabhaim buíochas le Páirtí an Lucht Oibre as ucht an rúin seo. Is rún maith é agus is mian liom tacaíocht a thabhairt dó. I want to raise a couple of serious issues that are affecting both carers and people with disabilities. The children's disability service grant was announced with great fanfare by the then Minister of State, Anne Rabbitte, in October 2023. This grant was to urgently provide se…

I thank Sinn Féin for tabling this motion. It is brief and to the point. I have no problem with implementing the recommendations of the Fifth Report of the Convention on the Constitution, which was quite some time ago now, for all Irish citizens on the island of Ireland. I have no difficulty with that. To follow on from my colleague, Deputy Stanley, it is not in the programme for Government, which…

The cost of energy is one pressure among many bearing down on families already dealing with soaring costs of rent, groceries, insurance and transport. For many families, there is simply no give left in the monthly budget. The Government's response to the energy crisis so far amounts to a very expensive, broad-brush set of measures that leave clear gaps and whose modest effect will evaporate quickl…

I beg the indulgence of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle to pay tribute to Fianna Fáil Councillor Patrick Gerard Murphy, who represented Bantry, Castletownbere and Skull electoral area and whose untimely death took place last Friday. His funeral is taking place as I speak this evening. Patrick was a councillor decades ahead of time. He had a great ability to bring people from right across the political d…

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." As colleagues know, Standing Order 174A provides that pre-legislative scrutiny is not required for a social welfare Bill which gives effect to budget measures. This Bill provides the legislative basis for the key social welfare budget measures. It also provides for some technical amendments to the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Act…

I welcome the opportunity to say a few words. I absolutely agree with the contribution of Deputy Charles Ward. Nothing would have prepared me for the extent of, and the damage done by, the defective blocks issue in Donegal. I thought I knew it from listening to colleagues speak on the issue, including my previous colleague, Thomas Pringle, as well as members of Sinn Féin. Nothing prepared me for t…

The answer that they settled on was 23, which is in contrast to that in previous years' exam papers, which was lower. Anyone who would have paid attention to the way they campaigned during the general election would have been forgiven for thinking that their focus today would have been on the people and the people that we represent, but, no, they are not having their focus on people across this St…

I welcome the Minister of State to her new position. I wish her the very best of luck. Artificial intelligence is no longer a concept for the future. It is here and it is already transforming businesses across every sector. From automating routine tasks to analysing vast amounts of data in seconds, AI is driving efficiency, reducing costs and enabling businesses to innovate like never before. How…

The Government watched on as fuel prices spun out of control. It has sat back as working people struggle to heat their homes and fill their cars. When households needed a government of action, they got this do-nothing Government. Clearly its plan was to ride this one out. Its package today had to be dragged out of it. Still the Government comes to the table with half-measures. It could not bring i…

I thank Deputy Wall for bringing forward this motion which we in the Green Party are very happy to support. Fundamentally, the motion recognises that our economic health as a country is intrinsically linked to the well-being of workers, students and carers. Our economic health is linked to their ability to live, travel and pursue their lives in a way that is facilitated and supported by the choice…

Today Senator Tom Clonan hosted a briefing on the challenges still facing children with scoliosis and spinal bifida. While we look at this area again in its own right, I reiterate my support for a full public inquiry on the whole scandal regarding the treatment of children awaiting scoliosis operations and related treatments, covering the entire lifespan of Children's Health Ireland but also going…

It seems to me from what we saw in the budget yesterday that the Government does not recognise the pressures that many of our working families and working individuals are facing at this time. Examples provided by the Government in its budget documentation yesterday tell us that a married couple with two children on a modest income of €55,000 a year will be down €50 on their income compared to last…

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. One of the appalling features of the war on Gaza has been the indiscriminate slaughter of innocent children. The serial killing of children as a result of indiscriminate bombing, attacks and shootings has shocked the world. The scale of injuries suffered by so many children is truly appalling. As a country, we have a strong tradition of providi…

I move: That Dáil Éireann: notes that: — the number of children in consistent poverty nearly doubled in 2024 to 8.5 per cent, rising by over 45,000 in one year to 104,780, up from 4.7 per cent in 2023; — the research by Economic and Social Research Institute shows one in five children, over 225,000, live in families below the poverty line when housing costs are accounted for; — the cost-of-li…

I welcome the opportunity to close this debate. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Charlie McConalogue, for his opening remarks, which I will expand on. As he outlined, the Government opposes the motion brought forward by the Independent Ireland Deputies. The Government is acutely aware of the pressures faced by many households and businesses across the country as a result of the increased ener…

I thank Deputy Roche for his question. My Department provides a range of income supports for those who are unable to work due to illness or disability, including those with rare diseases. These include non-contributory payments that are based on a needs test, such as disability allowance, but also contributory payments that are based on PRSI contributions, such as invalidity pension. Eligibility f…

I wish to start by thanking and welcoming everyone to the Dáil Chamber today. In particular, I wish to pay tribute, as the Ceann Comhairle has done, to Ms Brigid Walsh, who is 90 years of age and has just left the Gallery. It is great to see women of all ages here today. It is a real honour to be here celebrating International Women's Day, which took place last week, and recognising the wonderful…

Twelve years ago, Fine Gael rolled out the red carpet for the vulture funds with sweetheart tax arrangements, and nothing has changed. Today, its policy remains wedded to the interests of wealthy property funds, developers and big landlords over the housing needs of ordinary people. The Taoiseach today described this strategy as Government policy encouraging private investment to crowd in. What th…

I thank the Social Democrats for bringing forward this motion and allowing me the opportunity to speak in support of the Before We Die campaign. This is a group of people I have had the pleasure to get to know over the last number of months. They are a group of people asking one simple question, which is what happens to their sons or daughters when they are no longer there to care for them. It is …

At the outset, I totally accept the Minister of State's bona fides on this issue. I know of her track record on leave for carers and carers' rights. I have a copy of the reply she read. I am really disappointed by it because in no part of it is there any expression of compassion or regret for the fact that our system has failed this teacher. This teacher is being unduly penalised for the fact that…