Parliamentary questions

32. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Social Protection if, given that over 60% of appealed decisions are overturned, the steps he is taking to address the high initial rates of refusal for the domiciliary care allowance; if his Department has undertaken any research into the costs incurred by families in rural counties for private assessments to support appeals for a payment to which they …

33. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has reviewed the processes of eligibility assessments, appeals, and administration which disabled people must undergo to access supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46269/26]

34. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update in relation to progress on improving nutritional standard of the hot school meals programme; if he will provide for a pilot project looking into the socio-economic benefits of a model of local procurement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46173/26]

35. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to assess the financial adequacy of the State pension and supplementary social welfare payments for older, single persons who face escalating living costs and a chronic deficit of suitable single-unit accommodation options. [46329/26]

36. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will make progress on his commitment to abolish the means-test for carers in the next Budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46172/26]

37. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide the current processing time for appeals of all social welfare payments in 2026. [46170/26]

38. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider combining maternity benefit, paternity benefit, adoptive benefit, and parent’s leave into a single-family scheme providing up to 12 months following the birth or adoption of a child; and whether such a scheme could operate on pay-related basis similar to the pay-related jobseekers’ benefit payment. [46169/26]

39. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he will consider increasing the capital disregard for the blind pension as part of Budget 2027, having regard to the higher €50,000 disregard that applies to disability allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46274/26]

40. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has engaged with public transport operators in relation to these operators charging free travel pass holders booking fees for free travel journeys; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44951/26]

41. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection to clarify, if a household benefits package is backdated; the way in which the TV licence aspect of it is paid to An Post; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45429/26]

42. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider including retired public servants who did not pay the higher rate insurance contribution while they were employed for consideration in the fuel allowance scheme and any other pension linked benefits that they are currently excluded from. [46259/26]

43. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the process for notification of entitlements for carers following the death of the person they are caring for. [46298/26]

44. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on a pilot of the Hot School Meals Programme to be administered by Meals on Wheels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46282/26]

45. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that parents of children with additional needs may be unable to receive disability-related payments, such as the domiciliary care allowance if they take holidays exceeding two weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46324/26]

46. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is considering the introduction of a universal cost of disability payment that is not means-tested and not taxed, to help people with disabilities pay for additional costs associated with living with a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46364/26]

47. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has considered recruiting more staff as medical assessors to speed up the process of appeals in invalidity, disability, and carers applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46150/26]

48. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has considered the potential impact that a new working age payment may have on secondary benefits such as access to a GP medical card. [46171/26]

49. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider extending the eligibility for the domiciliary care allowance so that it continues until a child reaches the age of 18, in line with the transition to adulthood and continued care needs faced by families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46198/26]

50. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection to significantly increase the living alone allowance; and to review the qualifying criteria. [46326/26]

51. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider further changes to the community employment scheme as part of Budget 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45904/26]

52. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps being taken to ensure workers enrolled in the My Future Fund auto-enrolment pension scheme are provided with sufficient information to make informed decisions during the upcoming opt-out period starting in July; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46167/26]

53. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline his targets regarding the eradication of child poverty; the steps he has taken in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46032/26]

54. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to provide increased flexibility to local community employment schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46238/26]

55. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the development of a second-tier child benefit payment; and whether the current plans to replace the child support payment with a new payment will reduce payments for current recipients. [46223/26]

56. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the progress his Department is making to introduce a cost of disability payment. [46035/26]