16. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has benchmarked child benefit against comparable family-support payments in other European countries; the findings of any such analysis; and the way in which those findings are informing the development of measures to support families and reduce child poverty. [67342/26]
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 Naoise Ó Cearúil .
63 questions match, newest first.
93. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has assessed the impact of the child benefit payment rate remaining unchanged since 2016; and whether any review of the payment rate is planned. [67341/26]
78. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline progress in the rollout of the automatic enrolment retirement savings system, including early participation levels and emerging trends; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46291/26]
91. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the key priorities raised by carers and representative organisations at the Annual Carers’ Forum held in May 2026; the priority actions identified by his Department arising from the forum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46290/26]
1202. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to a review of the current means-testing arrangements for the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance as they apply to foster children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42713/26]
1284. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to an increase in the living alone allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43942/26]
28. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of domiciliary care allowance applications received, approved and refused in Kildare north in the past three years; the number subsequently approved on appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31274/26]
71. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection the average and the longest waiting times for domiciliary care allowance appeals in Kildare north; whether such appeals are prioritised by the age of the child; whether consideration has been given to expediting appeals in cases involving children under five years-of-age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31273/26]
343. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection when the core child benefit rate was last increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31513/26]
344. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration is being given to increasing the core child benefit rate, which remains at €140 per month, noting that other child-related supports were enhanced in Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31514/26]
1859. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection whether any artificial intelligence tools or systems are currently being used within his Department or in agencies under its remit; the purposes for which these tools are being used; whether any departmental guidance or governance structures have been developed to support their responsible use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24464…
1875. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of civil and public servants in his Department and agencies under its remit who have received training in AI, data literacy, or digital skills in the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25041/26]
22. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on the planned extension of the fuel allowance scheme to families in receipt of the working family payment; the expected number of beneficiary households; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15632/26]
30. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the timeline and expected impact of the increases to the carer’s allowance income disregards due to take effect later this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15631/26]
20. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of new applicants aged 66 years and over who have been approved for the fuel allowance under the revised means thresholds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2789/26]
51. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection the projected Exchequer cost of State contribution matching under auto-enrolment for 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2790/26]
417. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for proposing restrictions on investment options for self-directed PRSAs and the objectives these changes are intended to achieve. [2921/26]
418. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection if the proposed changes to PRSA investment options are linked to compliance with EU directives or domestic policy priorities; and to outline the relevant requirements. [2922/26]
419. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection the evidence or analysis that has informed the decision to review or restrict investment options for self-directed PRSAs. [2923/26]
420. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection the assessment that has been carried out on the potential impact of the proposed changes on the pension market, including saver choice and competition among providers. [2924/26]
421. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection if an analysis has been conducted on the potential effect of the proposed restrictions on investment options for self-directed PRSAs on housing supply, particularly in relation to residential property investment by pension schemes. [2925/26]
422. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection if modelling or forecasting has been undertaken to estimate the number of rental units that could be lost annually as a result of the proposed restrictions on investment options for self-directed PRSAs, and to provide details of that analysis. [2926/26]
423. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has considered the potential impact of the proposed restrictions on investment options for self-directed PRSAs on small business owners and self-employed individuals who rely on self-directed pensions for flexibility and control. [2927/26]
424. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection the engagement that has taken place with representative bodies for pensions in Ireland regarding the proposed changes to PRSA investment options. [2928/26]
425. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection if a public consultation process will be undertaken before any legislative changes are introduced for restrictions on investment options for self-directed PRSAs; and the timeline and process for that consultation. [2929/26]