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632. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) will receive a decision on their application for the carers’ allowance; if their payment will be backdated to the date of application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45803/26]

236. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the increase in income disregards carer’s allowance as committed to in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44675/26]

237. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 1545 of 13 January 2026, the approximate financial cost to the State of removing the means test for carer’s allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44676/26]

238. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on the merits of allowing for a savings disregard in relation to the means test for carer’s allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44677/26]

239. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the removal of the mean’s test for carer’s allowance as committed to in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44678/26]

150. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for the carer’s support grant and carer’s allowance currently awaiting decision; the average processing time for each scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44223/26]

152. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection the legal and administrative basis for the requirement that recipients of carer’s allowance notify his Department of short absences from the State; if his Department has assessed the necessity and effectiveness of this requirement in the administration of the scheme; whether any review of the requirement is planned; and if he w…

153. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if the requirement for recipients of carer’s allowance to notify his Department of short absences from the State applies to travel within the island of Ireland, including cross-Border journeys; whether the requirement has been applied in such circumstances; whether any review of the requirement is under consideration; and if he…

548. Deputy John Lahart asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will explain the rationale for the current taxation treatment of carer’s allowance as taxable income, in contrast to other social welfare payments such as jobseeker’s allowance and disability allowance which are not subject to income tax; if he will consider introducing an exemption or revised tax treatment for full-time fam…

1196. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the 18.5 hour weekly work limit attached to Carer’s Allowance eligibility in circumstances where carers wish to remain in employment, particularly in professions such as teaching where standard working hours exceed the permitted threshold; if consideration has been given to introducing greater flexibility…

1201. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will ensure that the entitlement of a person (details supplied) to carer's allowance is determined for an application first made in August 2025; the reasons this allowance has not been approved to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42697/26]

1265. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on a carer's allowance application for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43502/26]

1272. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for the carer’s support grant and carer’s allowance currently awaiting decision; the average processing time; and any measures being taken to reduce delays. [43751/26]

141. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection when the change from half to full carer's allowance payment will be processed for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40395/26]

734. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason an application for carer's allowance (details supplied) was refused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38758/26]

737. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection his position regarding the carer's allowance application by a person (details supplied).; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38803/26]

175. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made in relation to carer's allowance for a person (details supplied) considering they first applied 14 weeks ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37983/26]

399. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to urgently grant Carers Allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) as it has been processing for a prolonged time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35854/26]

503. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether carer's allowance can be included as income in assessing the amount of HAP a person can receive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32063/26]

577. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are any allowances, other than the carer's allowance, which require the recipient to work at least 35 hours per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32969/26]

591. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of an application for the carer's allowance for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33312/26]

593. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the number of recipients of invalidity pension has fallen since 2020 and increased by only 1% between 2015 and 2014, at a time when the number in receipt of other social protection payments such as carer's allowance and disability allowance have increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33320/26]

11. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of paying carers who care for two or more people, based on a full carer’s allowance in respect of each person, not a half-rate for a second person. [31340/26]

12. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline a clear timeline for the abolition of the means test for carer’s allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31295/26]

36. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on phasing out the means test for the carer’s allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31305/26]

I will not move it then. As Labour Party spokesman on social protection and disability, I welcome the opportunity to speak on this very important motion. I sincerely thank colleagues in the Social Democrats for bringing forward this motion. It is very timely given the cold and unpredictable weather we have been experiencing over the past number of weeks. The Labour Party has an amendment to this…

On Monday, I chaired the first meeting of the delivery and monitoring committee for the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030 when we considered the programme plan of action for 2025 and 2026. In the budget that we just had, we recorded a 20% increase in disability funding, strengthening mainstream services and introducing targeted social protection supports for households w…

First of all, the Government did discontinue the specific measures that we had introduced for the previous two years to deal with inflation across the board. It was not any one particular sector. The Deputy continually and disingenuously narrows it down and say we made cuts. We got rid of the one-off payments. They were not fiscally sustainable and they are not fiscally sustainable. That is the bo…

First of all, the Deputy has made an assertion and equated the ending of the one-off cost-of-living measures that were introduced during the height of the Ukraine energy crisis and so forth with cuts. That is wrong and he knows that. That is the first assertion, premised upon which his arguments are made, that is flawed. We must embed into the permanent social protection system, employment system,…

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that, the Government: — remains deeply concerned about the conflict in the Middle East and Gulf; — affirms Ireland's long track-record of support for international law and the United Nations; — continues to seek de-escalation through dialogue and diplomacy so that these issues can be resolved…

It is obvious that the budget is getting the interest of all the parties of the House. I am proud to be able to serve in Cabinet and to present my first budget as Minister for Social Protection and for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht. I will deal with each Department separately within my speaking allocation. In the Department of Social Protection, we have secured almost €29 bil…

Ar dtús báire, ní aontaím leis an Teachta in aon chor, mar níl aon amhras ach go bhfuil an-chuid déanta ag an Rialtas chun an brú atá curtha ar chosmhuintir na tíre de dheasca an t-ardú ar an gcostas maireachtála a ísliú. Tá an-chuid déanta againn chun é sin a dhéanamh. In passing, I also congratulate Katie Taylor on her outstanding win. She is one of our outstanding sportspersons and has done ex…

Carer's benefit is, as the Deputy knows, a payment available to insured people who may need to leave work or reduce their hours to care for a person or people in need of full-time care and attention. It is financed from the Social Insurance Fund. Since January, the scheme has been extended to the self-employed. Recipients of carer's benefit were among the 138,000 carers who received a carer's supp…

I thank Deputy Cairns. The Taoiseach chaired the first meeting of the delivery and monitoring committee for the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, where we are trying to work on a serious of actions to make sure we have a step-change in the provision of disability services over the lifetime of this Government. Budget 2026 was the first opportunity to show our commitment …

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that the Government: — remains deeply concerned about the conflict in the Middle East and Gulf region; — is acutely aware of the impact on households and businesses of the recent increases in the cost of living, and is actively monitoring the current geopolitical situation and its impact on co…

-----particularly among children. Look also at the child support payment. It is very significant. The over-12s has gone up by €16 and the under-12s by €8. That will benefit approximately 330,000 children in this country. It is moving in the direction of a second tier in supporting those most in need. For children, the €16 is now approximately €4,000 per annum. That is the amount for a child and fa…

We have committed to ending the waiver over the lifetime of this Government, which is five years and five budgets. We made a significant start on this occasion which will enable us to do it in five years. We have significantly increased the income disregard. It is the highest ever. If you look at some of the income levels now entitled to the carer's allowance when compared with some years ago, it …

Certainly, we will engage on that. There are also issues being brought to my attention around teachers who are job-sharing and that complicate the Deputy's scenario even more. Those who are working fewer than 18.5 hours may qualify for carer's allowance, which would be subject to the means test and to other eligibility requirements. If the Deputy wants to send me the details, we will engage with h…

I thank the Deputy for his question on a very important area which is very much to the fore in the mindset of the Government, namely, the cost of living and how vulnerable families grapple with the weekly shop and the price of groceries. In the context of budget 2026, I want to outline how we as a Government are supporting people who are the most vulnerable. We came forward in budget 2026 with a €…

On Saturday, we mark International Women's Day. We celebrate the resilience, strength and the invaluable contributions women make every day in Irish society but we must also confront the inequalities that persist in our society. I raise in particular the immense role women across Ireland contribute as carers for those in need. We all recognise that carers are the backbone and support for so many i…

73. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection for an estimate of the number of new people who will be eligible to receive carer’s allowance following budget 2026; if he will explain to carers who are currently excluded by the means test exactly when they will be made aware of when they will become eligible; the amount his Department is prepared to spend on the relaxation of t…

I thank my colleagues in government for giving us the opportunity to participate in the formulation of budget 2026. I remember back in January, when my fellow TDs from the regional group took the courage to support the establishment of a Government, we did so on the basis of an agreed programme for Government, a blueprint for change, to be delivered over the course of five years. While in oppositi…

This Government has had every warning and every opportunity to act yet it continues to ignore the depth of poverty and social exclusion growing across communities and the State. The measures in this Bill fall far short of what is needed. After years of record surpluses and headline promises, families are still being left behind and are struggling with food, energy, housing and transport costs whil…

-----and indeed 24 months ago. In budget 2025, a wide range of measures were introduced which had the effect of protecting members of the public from the excessive costs that were arising as a result of inflation. We introduced an increased payment in respect of the rent tax credit; it went up from €1,000 to €2,000. There was the extension of the 9% reduced VAT rate for gas and electricity. That v…

There is a range of costs. The figure of €3 billion only arises in the context of everybody who self-declared as a carer in 2022 census qualifying. Even if only 70% of those carers were to qualify, the cost would go up to approximately €2 billion. The very important work done by carers is recognised. It has been recognised consistently by this Government and the previous one. We have made substan…

I thank the Deputy. As he said, the programme for Government commits to introducing a permanent annual cost-of-disability support payment. We will introduce and incrementally increase this payment. These commitments will be advanced over the lifetime of the Government, having regard to the policy and budgetary context. In budget 2026, I provided for a €1.15 billion package of new social protectio…

This means that somebody on an income of €110,000 can receive a full carer's allowance payment and those on €138,000 can receive a partial payment. So, we are making very substantial progress in phasing out the means test. It is a commitment in the programme for Government and I will continue to progress it. I also have other commitments and I want to ensure that we look at the people who are on e…

The context of the commitment in the programme for Government is to do it in a progressive manner as part of the annual budget process. We are still finalising budget 2026 in terms of passing the Bill and we have not given a huge focus to 2027 yet. In terms of abolishing the means test for the carer's allowance, the Department has estimated a cost of approximately €600 million. This is based on ad…

That is very heartening to hear, and I look forward to working together to ensure that the commitments in the programme for Government are advanced. While I am here, I would like to raise the immense financial strains carers often find themselves under in spite of the services they provide. In a recent survey, 69% of carers reported having difficulty making ends meet and, of those, 29% have begun…

I very much welcome the reply. The changes that are coming into effect on 1 July are very good. There are a huge number of people who provide a good standard of care in the home rather than people having to go into full-time residential care in nursing homes. They are providing an invaluable service. It is important that we make sure that we tick all the boxes and that they are discouraged from co…