Questions

376. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for carer's allowance in 2024 and 2025 to date; the number of applications that were awarded in 2024 and 2025 to date; the number that were refused, and number that were refused but then awarded on appeal, in 2024 and 2025 to date. [53686/25]

377. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person in receipt of death benefits under the occupational injuries scheme can avail of the living alone allowance; if not, if he will consider such a request; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53769/25]

378. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will respond to the recommendation of the Comptroller and Auditor General that his Department should examine the scope for receiving more complete information on the economic sectors, source and type of income giving rise to Class S PRSI contributions; the procedures and guidance he will put in place as a result; and if he will make a statemen…

379. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on the Comptroller and Auditor General's recommendation that his Department should introduce a formal strategy for both the regular review of older outstanding debt, in particular for pre-2011 cases and for the targeted review of certain cohorts of debtors on a periodic basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53787/25]

380. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update as to progress on refunds to a supplier following an overcharge of almost €786,000 uncovered by the Comptroller and Auditor General in relation to 98 schools during the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 academic periods; the reason refunds are being made on a phased basis as opposed to a lump sum; the timeline of these refunds; the extent to whi…

381. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that section 179(4) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005's criteria for when a relevant person shall be regarded as requiring full-time care and attention precludes many carers of neurodivergent people; if he is aware that this passage does not acknowledge the essential needs specific to neurodivergent people who require full-…

382. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will enact the recommendations from the 2018 review of the Gender Recognition Act 2015 and the former Minister’s report in response to that review, which set out proposals to address several recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53796/25]

383. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection to revise the approach to the income disregards for the means test for the carers allowance (details supplied). [53805/25]

384. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on a submission regarding Pathways to Work 2026-2030 (details supplied); if he is supportive of the proposals therein; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53791/25]

385. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether officials within her Department are authorised to share information received from members of An Garda Síochána seconded to the Department, particularly information relating to ongoing or potential criminal investigations, with other public bodies; whether such disclosures are governed by a specific legal basis under the general data protection r…

386. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether her Department has a memorandum of understanding or any formal agreement in place with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions governing the transmission of case files or information from the Department to the DPP; whether officials within her Department are authorised, under any legislation, formal policy, or agreement, to inform othe…

387. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2026 of increasing the income limit to be eligible for fuel allowance for persons aged over 66 to €560 per week for a single person or €1,120 for a couple; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53847/25]

388. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2026 if the living alone allowance increased to €26 per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53848/25]

389. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether employment opportunities will become available in the near future with the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration in Killarney, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52934/25]

390. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the date by which he will appoint the members of the new South Dublin Local Community Safety Partnership so they may meet and begin their work. [52941/25]

391. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for an update on a citizenship application submitted by a person (details supplied) in County Louth who is working as an anaesthesiologist since March 2023. [52986/25]

392. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the mandatory training in place for staff in workplaces within his Department, or bodies under its aegis, that deal with the public, including the Garda, on recognising, responding to and supporting victims of sexually based violence, specifically, whether such training is mandatory; the content and format of the training and how freq…

393. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to consider the creation of a statutory offence or a defined sub-offence under sexual assault specifically addressing sibling sexual abuse, to reflect the unique betrayal and coercion dynamics present in intra-familial abuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53067/25]

394. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if any engagement took place with local representatives, NGOs, schools, healthcare providers, or community groups in relation to the use of facilities (details supplied) prior to the establishment of the Community Engagement Team in 2023; and if he will publish minutes or summaries of the eight stakeholder meetings and seven inform…

395. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if any portion of the associated land at a location (details supplied) is intended for use in developing modular homes or additional accommodation blocks in future; and if consultation has taken place with South Dublin County Council or other planning authorities regarding land-use. [53086/25]

396. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if the Comptroller & Auditor General or an independent external auditor has reviewed the value-for-money assessment underpinning the €148m purchase of a facility (details supplied); and to publish the detailed methodology used to support the claim that the purchase price will be recouped within four years.; and if he will make …

397. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if legal advice was sought from the Attorney General in relation to proceeding with the use of facilities (details supplied) without planning permission; and whether any monitoring mechanism has been put in place to ensure that the exempted development provisions of S.I. 605 of 2022 and S.I. 376 of 2023 are properly applied in this…

398. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration given that 134 submissions were received under the 2024 Expression of Interest process for potential international protection accommodation, the reason the purchase of facilities (details supplied) proceeded before assessments of these submissions were completed; and if this indicates that the decision to purchase the facilities wa…

399. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the measures his Department is taking in response to the reported 13 percent increase in overall crime in Cork city in the past year, with particular reference to the 23 percent rise in thefts and shoplifting. [53126/25]

400. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide a comparison of Garda personnel strength in the Cork city division in 2020 versus 2025. [53129/25]