Naoise Ó Muirí

642. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection whether the intention to work on a contract basis for a social enterprise, prior to the enterprise being able to offer direct employment, precludes an applicant from qualifying for the back to work enterprise allowance; and if not, if he will issue guidance to Intreo offices to ensure consistency in decision making; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51630/25]

643. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on any plans to amend the back to work enterprise allowance, or related supports, to better accommodate the unique structures and needs of social enterprises, in line with the Government’s social enterprise policy and the National Disability Inclusion Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51631/25]

657. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection the levels of maternity benefit and maternity leave, paternity benefit and leave, parental benefit and parental leave which will apply during 2026; and if there are any anticipated changes in any of these due to take place during 2026. [51897/25]

658. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection the additional supports or secondary benefits allowed to persons on a carer's allowance; and to persons on a carer's benefit. [51904/25]

659. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of carer's benefit; the typical duration of their claim; and if she has considered greater flexibility under the scheme to cover intermittent caring periods. [51905/25]

660. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the carer's support grant; the number of persons who already have carer's payments or domiciliary care allowance; and the numbers who qualify independently of these schemes. [51906/25]

661. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection the take up to date of the concession of free travel to those medically unfit to drive; and the number of children who will benefit from free travel. [51914/25]

662. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of children on child benefit payments; and the way that number has been affected by the extension of payments to those in full-time education up to their 19th birthday. [51915/25]

673. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the steps his Department are taking to alleviate the backlog in visa applications, particularly for de facto partners of Irish nationals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51302/25]

782. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the granting of an extension for a childcare service (details supplied) under the building blocks improvement scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51625/25]

793. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the core funding levels of support per hour to childcare providers; the payments for specific additional elements delivered, which will apply for the coming school year; the level of increase in each case compared to last year; and the estimated number of providers and children served by those who have continued operating under the scheme and by those who have left the scheme. [51898/25]

794. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the maximum level of hourly support paid under the NCS in different age categories for those on lowest incomes, allowing the highest rate of payment; the rate for those at the highest level of income who still qualify for some premium over the universal rate; and the way in which the intermediate rate payable to a particular family is calculated. [51899/25]

795. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the eligibility criteria for a child to participate in the free early childhood care and education scheme; and the hourly or weekly rate payable to providers that deliver service under the scheme. [51900/25]

796. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the Access and Inclusion Mode (AIM) has been extended beyond ECCE years; the range of services which are available within ECCE under AIM; the range of services that are now on offer for other childcare settings; and the way in which the number of children served under each element of the programme has grown as a result of the change. [51901/25]

797. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she has received an update on the assessment of the administrative burden for providers of childcare services in complying with eligibility and record keeping under core funding and the national childcare scheme; the simplification proposals which she has implemented and those up for further consideration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51902/25]

908. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Health the income thresholds which now apply for the medical card and for the GP only card; the current level of population eligible for each scheme; and the way the level of take-up has changed over the past twelve months due to the relaxed eligibility conditions. [51916/25]

983. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the total number of apprenticeship options to be available for enrolment in the coming academic year; and the level of respective enrolment in each of these options for the most recent period for which data is available. [51903/25]

985. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of students who will become eligible for the maintenance payment for postgraduate study in 2025. [51920/25]

986. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of courses and places available in the coming academic year under Springboard and under the human capital initiative; whether new general areas of skill shortage have been added to the range of courses being offered under these options; the payments to be made by students; and if participants on these courses can be paid under SUSI or under the back to education allowance while participating. [51921/25]

46. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the level of support available to small- to medium-sized enterprises to reduce the cost of energy, his plans to expand these supports in Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50436/25]

52. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of businesses that have been supported through energy efficiency grants in each county over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50435/25]

95. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of reducing the minimum required hours under the wage subsidy scheme from 21 hours to 15 hours in April 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50438/25]

101. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of extending the period of a social welfare payment following the death of a dependent from six to 12 weeks as committed to in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50439/25]

102. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way in which his Department will consult on shaping the agenda of Ireland's Presidency of the EU Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50336/25]

103. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when he expects to have a draft timetable for the various EU Ministerial engagements for Ireland's EU Presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50337/25]