741. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that despite paying PRSI at the appropriate rate, widows in receipt of the widow and bereaved partners pension are not eligible for illness benefit; if he has any intention of changing this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8558/26]
Parliamentary questions
Questions
TDs ask ministers questions to get answers on the record, most of them in writing. Here is every one asked in the 34th Dáil, by the department it went to and the subject heading it was filed under. How questions work
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Showing questions asked by Darren O'Rourke .
73 questions match, newest first.
703. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection if travel expenses such as an employee's mileage is taken into account when being assessed for carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4043/26]
56. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection his efforts to include all employers in the auto-enrolment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1779/26]
68. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to remove the means test for carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1778/26]
180. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of primary schools in the State that do not currently have access to the free school meal scheme, despite being eligible, by county, in tabular form. [64170/25]
181. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the date in Q4 2025 that we can expect publication of the review carried out on nutritional standards of the free school meal scheme. [64171/25]
119. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that many parents are completely dissatisfied with the school meals scheme and concerned about the quality and nutritional value of the lunches provided to schools; and the measures being taken to restore confidence in the hot school meals scheme. [59669/25]
229. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person in receipt of carers allowance and is working 18.5 hours is paid by their employer for their break times and are included as working hours; the measures her Department uses to ensure that the person is not subject to repayments or review when not physically working during their lunch break. [55877/25]
102. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection to clarify when a person will stop receiving their widow's pension under the Social Welfare (Bereaved Partners and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025. [52305/25]
597. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection why school bus escorts who have to sign on during school holidays have faced delays of up to five weeks to receive their payment; and the measures he is taking to ensure this does not occur again at future holiday periods. [52078/25]
111. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures he is taking to support persons with disabilities into employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49711/25]
113. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason widows/widowers who work full-time and are in receipt of a widow's/widower's pension and pay PRSI and all other taxes are not eligible for illness benefit; his plans to change this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49710/25]
735. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps he is taking to ensure schools affected by companies pulling out of contracts due to procurement criteria in the hot school meal scheme are resolved; and or if he will introduce a temporary measure to ensure these children are catered for. [48053/25]
737. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which food waste is monitored in the hot school meals scheme; the latest data in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48091/25]
743. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures he is taking to ensure that schools affected by food companies pulling out of the hot school meals scheme due to updated procurement criteria, are provided with hot meals; the interim measures in place; and when he expects this issue will be resolved, allowing all schools to avail of the free hot school meal scheme. [48314/25]
793. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that rent supplement is only available to those who work under 30-hours-per-week; and if he plans to expand the criteria to 40-hours-per-week, taking into account that many people who are in need of rent supplement work a full 40-hour week. [49018/25]
1341. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason widows who work full-time and are in receipt of a widow's pension and pay PRSI and all other taxes are not eligible for normal illness benefit. [44954/25]
1348. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the contributory widows pension is taken into consideration as an criteria for eligibility for widows seeking a social benefit such as illness benefit; and if there are plans to remove the contributory pension from being considered when seeking said benefits. [45069/25]
1349. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the contributory widows pension is taken into consideration as an criteria for eligibility for widows seeking back to school clothing and footwear allowance; and if there are plans to remove the contributory pension from being considered when seeking said benefits. [45070/25]
1362. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of whole time equivalent network cyber security ICT specialists at the grade of executive officer working within his Department as of 18 August 2025, in tabular form. [45527/25]
1399. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the responsibility that is on his Department to ensure that citizens are appropriately educated and informed about the terms of individual social welfare payments and the potential implications of availing or not availing of a particular payment, for example that some count as credits for a State pension and others do not; and if he will make a sta…
1745. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of primary and post primary DEIS schools that currently do not offer a breakfast club, and to provide the estimated cost of providing breakfast club in these schools regardless of whether the request to offer the service. [44210/25]
1746. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated average cost of a DEIS primary and secondary school offering a breakfast club respectively, in tabular form. [44211/25]
389. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports available from his Department to help people with disabilities into employment, and to sustain employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40620/25]
404. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports available from his Department to help people with disabilities into employment, and to sustain employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40619/25]