90. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on plans to abolish the means test for the carer’s allowance, given the strong support for this in the programme for Government; to confirm if it will be included in budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32829/25]
TDs / Catherine Ardagh
Catherine Ardagh
Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
259
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
45,983
words spoken in the chamber
32,088 as a minister, 13,895 as a TD. Plus 26 contributions from the chair, not counted
422
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
96
topics asked about
Across 16 departments
From the Dáil chamber only: committee meetings are not in this archive.
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Month by month
Low months are usually recesses, when the Dáil does not sit. The archive runs to 22 October 2026.
Questions asked 259 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 137 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
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| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 0 | 1 |
| February 2025 | 13 | 6 |
| March 2025 | 11 | 10 |
| April 2025 | 25 | 2 |
| May 2025 | 12 | 3 |
| June 2025 | 13 | 5 |
| July 2025 | 18 | 6 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 11 | 3 |
| October 2025 | 36 | 3 |
| November 2025 | 23 | 10 |
| December 2025 | 9 | 0 |
| January 2026 | 14 | 8 |
| February 2026 | 19 | 10 |
| March 2026 | 13 | 3 |
| April 2026 | 28 | 8 |
| May 2026 | 12 | 3 |
| June 2026 | 0 | 22 |
| July 2026 | 2 | 13 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 0 | 11 |
| October 2026 | 0 | 10 |
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Plus 92 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
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- constituency Dublin South-Central 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration 28 May 2026 to now
I know the ground on carer’s allowance has been covered a lot, but the programme for Government contains a commitment on the abolition of the means test for carer's allowance during the Government's term. Will the Minister provide an update on where this now stands, on the work has been done on the costings or preparations and on whether we can expect progress or a first step in budget 2026?
As the Minister stated, more than 100,000 people are in receipt of carer's allowance. There are 500,000 carers, however, which means that 400,000 people are not getting benefits under the scheme. Will the Minister increase the disregard in the forthcoming budget? The means test hits families who are doing their best, often one-parent families or where a parent is working part time and might have some savings. It is o…
Carers are saving the State billions of euro. The highest figure we have seen for the amount involved is €3 billion. In any event, the savings being made are enormous. People provide care for children with complex needs, older people and family members with serious illnesses. They do so out of love and with very little support from the State.
While the increases to income disregards are welcome, they are not a subst…
As no other Members are offering, the Minister of State has ten minutes to conclude.
Seanad Éireann has passed the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025, without amendment.
I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case:
Deputy Ciarán Ahern - To discuss teacher allocations and class mergers in St. Kevin's BNS and St. Kevin's GNS in Kilnamanagh, Tallaght, Dublin 24.
Deputy Robert O'Donoghue - To discuss anti-social behaviour in the Northwood area of Santry.
Deputy Malcolm Byr…
It is very difficult to listen to my friend's sanctimonious rant on this issue. We all know from junior cert economics-----
I am sure the Deputy is familiar with this. I think he is a lecturer in economics. We know from junior cert economics that when supply is increased in the market, prices stabilise, if not come down. This is something we have probably all studied and it is really the basics of economics; it is economics 101.
I am very glad to speak on this Bill. It is about ensuring fairness, certainty and protection for renters acro…
14. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Disability will next meet. [27572/25]
I rise again to discuss therapeutic supports for children. As the Taoiseach said, the in-school therapy programme has been a huge success.
Even people in the Department were blown away by how many applied for the positions. Therapists like working in the school environment. It is the best place for therapies to be delivered to children and for their parents, the majority of whom work. In CHO 7, more than 2,700 peopl…
I rise to speak about the Loreto Centre Crumlin in Dublin 12. It is a trusted and vital mental health and community support service that has been serving families, individuals and young people in Crumlin and Dublin South-Central more widely for more than 25 years. The Loreto Centre Crumlin was founded by the Loreto order of nuns and has grown over the decades into a cornerstone of the community. It provides counselli…
I thank the Minister of State for her response. I must respectfully state that the situation with this centre is now urgent. The suggestion that the centre should be a section 39 agency is understood but the process for becoming a recognised section 39 funded body is opaque, lengthy and deeply under-resourced. In the meantime, the centre is expected to maintain 3,000 units of counselling per year with only one salari…
Families are exhausted, battling not for something extraordinary but for something fundamental, an assessment of need. It is supposed to be a gateway to support. In practice, it is a locked door. Without it, children cannot access home tuition, school places, the domiciliary care allowance or, most critical, any therapy. The message that families receive is simple: no assessment, no services. More than 15,000 childre…
I welcome Francis Gorman, president of the IFA, to the Gallery.
The Deputy is eating into his colleague's time.
Apologies, I skipped Question No. 154 by accident.
I will now go to Question No. 154.
2. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on housing will next meet. [14730/25]
The tenant in situ scheme funding allocation to Dublin City Council in 2025 was reduced to €95 million, a significant decrease on last year. Coupled with the new exclusions that a property cannot be in need of refurbishment and has to have been in HAP or RAS for the past two years, this has limited the council's ability to work. There are currently more than 100 tenants with applications pending a decision from the c…
I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case:
Deputy Paul Lawless - To discuss the wastewater treatment plant in Newport, County Mayo.
Deputy Michael Cahill - To discuss the shortfall in home care provision in Kerry.
Deputy Gary Gannon - To discuss accommodation options for young people leaving care in …
11. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the support his Department is providing for the provision of cost-rental apartments at St Michael’s Estate in Inchicore; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12742/25]
St. Michael's Estate in Inchicore was meant to be a flagship cost-rental development, but progress, as we know, has been slow. Planning permission was granted in July 2023. Dublin City Council is seeking a loan of €132.5 million to fund the cost-rental units. Given that work on the site was due to start this month - main construction is not now expected until November - can the Minister clarify what exactly is causin…
That is all very welcome but construction is yet to start. It looks like it will not be starting until late this year, with a completion date in 2028. As the Minister explained, this is a fantastic project of 578 mixed-tenure units plus 52 social housing units by Circle Voluntary Housing Association. It will be a fantastic development, but is there anything that the Minister can do to expedite the funding for the pro…
Dublin City Council plans to outsource the management of this development. Can the Minister confirm if that decision will affect the affordability of tenancy protections for cost-rental tenants? Additionally, if the €132.5 million loan is not approved quickly, what alternative measures can be taken to ensure that the project moves forward without further setbacks?