Questions

483. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department will consider an increase in the secondary dinner rate with a drink in the school meals programme to €3,20 from €2.50 to equalise it with the hot schools meal and backdate it to the beginning of this school year, as providers are finding it difficult to maintain services with the costs incurred. [71653/26]

76. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm whether consideration would be given to introducing a support specifically for older people to help with the cost of home heating oil. [67543/26]

113. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to making fuel allowance an automatic entitlement to everyone over 70 years-of-age; and the estimated cost that will be incurred to make this change. [67575/26]

401. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm that consideration would be given to including an increased income threshold in the Fuel Allowance for those with dependent children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66924/26]

266. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm the current status of a carer’s allowance application for a person (details supplied); when a decision is likely to be reached; and whether serious consideration will be given to the application due to the circumstances involved. [66201/26]

267. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm the current status of a carer’s allowance application for a person (details supplied); when a decision is likely to be reached; and whether serious consideration will be given to the application due to the circumstances involved. [66199/26]

779. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm consideration will be given to increasing the Household Benefits Package monthly sum for electricity and gas from €35 to support older people with energy costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65577/26]

790. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the long-term carer's credit can be counted towards the minimum pension requirements, but HCPS cannot; and to confirm in line with the Programme for Government the actions the Government is taking to amend the legislative provisions so that individuals who have given up their careers to care for others will not be disadvantaged in their old …

791. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person with 520 PRSI contributions may rely on the home caring periods scheme to increase their entitlement to a near full State pension (contributory), while a person with substantial HCPS but less than 520 PRSI contributions is denied any benefit from using the HCPS to meet the minimum requirement; and if he will explain the rationale beh…

792. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the statutory provision which explicitly excludes the home caring period scheme from being counted towards the minimum 520 contribution weeks required under the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005; and if no such provision exists, to explain the legal basis on which his Department excludes them. [65865/26]

795. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the action that has been taken to date to examine what modifications or changes may be made to support women who currently fall outside the existing schemes to qualify for a State pension as per the Programme for Government commitment; and the further action that is proposed. [65885/26]

796. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) is not entitled for a State pension (contributory) despite the fact that they provided care for their children in the home for a number of years; and if this case will be reviewed. [65882/26]

797. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) would be entitled to receive another State payment given it was concluded that they do not qualify for the State pension (contributory); and if any such support would be available to them. [65884/26]

389. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a person’s (details supplied) application for fuel allowance; when a decision is likely to be reached on this matter; if consideration will be given to awarding this allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54667/26]

134. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an estimate of the accumulated total in cuts in spending on the dental treatment service scheme since 2010 as compared with the baseline annual total spent in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52253/26]

135. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an estimate on the amount that would have been spent on the dental treatment service scheme in 2025 if spending had been maintained at 2009 levels with CPI applied in the intervening period and taking into account the current numbers of citizens eligible to receive PRSI benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52254/26]

10. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of additional people that will benefit from increases in the carers allowance means test threshold due in July 2026; whether he has engaged with the Minister for Health and her Department to ensure that carers allowance income will not be included under the medical card means test so that those who benefit from the expanded threshold will not b…

12. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm whether an examination of improvements to key ancillary benefits such as the fuel allowance, household benefits package and living alone allowance to support older and vulnerable groups has occurred as per the programme for Government; if not, when this examination will occur; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46276/26]

381. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to awarding an invalidity pension to an applicant (details supplied); the current status of their application; when a decision is likely to be made in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46673/26]

116. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to strongly consider the appeal of a person (details supplied) against a determination of overpayment, noting the extenuating circumstances of the illness of a close family member; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35509/26]

5. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm that consideration will be given to an automatic entitlement to the fuel allowance where a member of the household is over 70 years of age; the cost of implementing this proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31303/26]

77. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm the progress that has been made toward a permanent cost of disability payment; the work that has been undertaken to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31304/26]

56. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to the introduction of a support payment for those who are required to take leave due to a miscarriage or early pregnancy loss; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15524/26]

89. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration has been given to introducing a pay-related maternity benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15525/26]

418. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider awarding domiciliary care allowance to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16087/26]