Questions

618. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will respond to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied) on 22 September 2026, requesting him to review arrangements for transferring private pension savings from Australia to Ireland for Irish citizens who have worked in Australia and have returned to reside and work in Ireland. [73540/26]

642. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will examine the financial disadvantage faced by retired CIÉ pensioners who pay USC on their occupational pensions but do not have access to a range of supports available to State pension recipients, including the living alone increase and certain medical and household benefits; whether he considers this equitable; and if he will consider introdu…

643. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason people who have private pensions cannot sign up for the MyFutureFund pension and therefore do not receive the same supports (details supplied). [74121/26]

481. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will give consideration to removing the mandatory certificate of benefit comparison requirement for straightforward defined contribution-to-PRSA transfers, where there is an identifiable fund value; in situations where the consumer is receiving appropriate regulated financial advice, including the material benefits being surrendered and the reaso…

488. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he has assessed the impact of long-term caring responsibilities on a person's entitlement to the State Pension (Contributory), particularly in the case of parents who have spent decades caring for a child with a disability. [71792/26]

489. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider the introduction of a dedicated pension entitlement or enhanced pension credit arrangement for parents who have provided lifelong care to a child with a disability (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71800/26]

490. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has examined the risk of income poverty among older parents who have provided lifelong care to children with disabilities and who subsequently reach pension age with insufficient pay related social insurance contributions to qualify for a full State Pension (Contributory). [71798/26]

491. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons currently benefiting from credited pay related social insurance contributions arising from caring responsibilities; and if he is considering expanding access to such credits for parents providing long-term care to adult children with disabilities. [71797/26]

492. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has undertaken a review of the adequacy of current pension arrangements for family carers, including the homemaker's scheme and other credited contribution mechanisms; and if these arrangements sufficiently protect those who have acted as full-time carers over many years. [71796/26]

493. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration is being given to providing additional pension protections for parents who have provided lifelong care to a son or daughter with a disability and who may have reduced pay related social insurance contribution records as a consequence of their caring responsibilities. [71795/26]

408. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on a State pension (contributory) application (details supplied) that has been pending for some time. [70201/26]

513. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that the new methodology to calculate pension payments for those who turned 65 in March of 2025 is resulting in a constituent (details supplied) receiving €10 less per week; if he is aware of the hardship this is incurring on this constituent and people in her same situation; and if he will consider re-adjusting payments for people wh…

66. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on MyFutureFund following the recent opt out window. [67284/26]

371. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection the final number of participants in MyFutureFund who were eligible to opt out during the first opt-out window ending on 31 August 2026; the number and percentage who opted out; the number who subsequently cancelled an opt-out request during the cooling-off period; the total value of employee contributions refunded; the corresponding value of employe…

372. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of reports from employers participating in the My Future Fund auto-enrolment pension initiative regarding significant delays in the processing and reimbursement of payments due to businesses; if his Department has assessed the impact such delays are having on the cash flow of small and micro-enterprises; the average waiting time currentl…

87. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection the final number of participants in MyFutureFund eligible to opt out during the first opt-out window ending on 31 August 2026; the number and percentage who opted out; the number who subsequently cancelled an opt-out request during the cooling-off period; the total value of employee contributions refunded; the corresponding value of employer and Stat…

396. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the application for a contributory State pension for a person (details supplied), which has been under consideration by his Department for many months. [66766/26]

397. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection with regard to the non-contributory State pension means assessment, the way in which a joint bank account is assessed in cases where the individuals in question are not married, civil partners or cohabiting. [66788/26]

399. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection his Department's plans to establish equivalent structures (details supplied) to provide occupational pensioners with a collective voice in the governance of occupational pension schemes in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66808/26]

412. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to allow workers enrolled in the National Auto Enrolment/My Future Fund pension scheme to make small additional personal contributions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67230/26]

262. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to allow for the purchase of AVCs or similar schemes as part of the auto enrolment pension scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66099/26]

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]

507. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of Irish citizens that are receiving the State pension (contributory) but are permanently based outside of the State as of 26 June 2026, in tabular form. [50944/26]

516. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of lowering the pension age to 65 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51272/26]