Questions

176. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide a breakdown, by county, of the number of persons who have qualified for the new pay-related benefit since it was introduced; if he will confirm the average payment rate under the scheme to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32946/25]

177. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Social Protection the initiatives he is taking to support kinship carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33042/25]

178. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the introduction of the automatic enrolment retirement savings system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32980/25]

179. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection when he expects to bring forward proposals on a new child poverty target; if he will outline his views on the measures which will be most impactful in reducing child poverty; if he has considered the introduction of a targeted child benefit payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32705/25]

180. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of the fact that when custody is split between two separated or divorced co-parents there is no mechanism by which both co-parents may each receive half of the children’s allowance; the children’s allowance instead, when there is a mother and father co-parenting, goes to the mother regardless of circumstances; if he is aware of the fi…

181. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people who have availed of parents benefit in each of the years 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; the number of mothers and the number of fathers who have availed of parent's benefit in each of these years; his views on whether further steps can be taken to encourage greater uptake of parent's benefit; and if he will …

182. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection regarding the self-employed who are on an S contribution for access to illness benefit, if he will implement a similar scheme as the scheme in place for job seekers benefit for self-employed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32973/25]

183. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review and change the current very penal means test calculation on land or savings on, for example, the non-contributory old age pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32897/25]

184. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Social Protection to extend the winter fuel allowance to people with physical disabilities to a year round free fuel allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32780/25]

185. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to entitling persons on a widow’s pension working in schools to be able to claim job seeker's benefit when not being paid when off; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33210/25]

186. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to outline the types of services which his Department offers to Irish citizens when offering consular assistance in an emergency situation; whether such assistance has been provided to Irish citizens visiting Mexico in recent years and the nature of the assistance which was provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3…

187. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the additional measures that will be taken to bring an end to the Genocide, slaughter, starvation and degrading of the Palestinian people (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33351/25]

188. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide a list of all diplomatic démarches received by the Government from other states over each of the past five years, including the period from January 2025 to date, in tabular form (details supplied). [33362/25]

189. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide a list of all diplomatic démarches issued by the Government to other states over each of the past five years, including the period from January 2025 to date, in tabular form (details supplied). [33363/25]

190. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the names of individuals or groups who lobbied the Government to include the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism in the Programme for Government. [33397/25]

191. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the names of individuals or groups who lobbied the Government to include the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism in the Programme for Government. [33398/25]

192. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether he has received a briefing from relevant Ambassadors regarding the growing border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia; whether there have been any discussions at EU level about the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33431/25]

193. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether there are any plans for new embassies planned for any countries in which Ireland does not have a full-time mission; whether consideration is given to shared facilities with other EU member States; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33432/25]

194. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans for increasing trade between Ireland and ASEAN countries; whether there are any trade delegations planned for the region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33433/25]

195. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the EU has carried out a gap analysis regarding the massive reduction in USAID contributions and funding around the world; the scale of damage done by this sudden reduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33434/25]

196. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department will liaise with the well-being and counselling community and the Ukrainian community in Ireland to develop content and strategy for a large scale PTSD recovery programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33436/25]

197. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if any response has been received from Israel to his diplomatic rebuke for the shooting by Israel at Irish soldiers participating in a UNIFIL peacekeeping mission in Lebanon in May 2025. [33439/25]

198. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the Government’s approval is sought through the Foreign Affairs Council in advance of the President of the European Commission articulating a foreign policy position on behalf of the European Union. [33440/25]

199. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the article of the Treaty on European Union the Government, through the Foreign Affairs Council or otherwise, can delegate powers to represent the State on matters of foreign and security policy to the President of the European Commission rather than to the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Poli…

200. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the action Government takes, if any, in an instance where the President of the European Commission articulates a foreign policy position which has not been agreed by the Foreign Affairs Council; and to list the dates, reasons and nature of any protest made by the Government in response, in tabular form. [33442/25]