Parliamentary questions

99. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the case of a person (details supplied); if he will clarify whether the homemaker’s scheme or homemaker’s disregard provisions apply in this instance; the options that exist to retrospectively address PRSI contribution shortfalls for individuals who left the workforce before these schemes were properly publicised …

100. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has projects, contracts, or pilots currently being undertaken or in development that make use of agentic AI; if the use of these technologies is internal only or public facing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57632/25]

101. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of service contracts awarded to private consultancy firms, broken down by projects in IT, management, accounting and auditing, Department and cost, each year to date since 2000, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57664/25]

102. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 214 of 15 October 2025, for an approximate breakdown of the 3,000 beneficiaries, between those who are current recipients and will receive an increase to their payment rate, and those who will be new claimants and whose incomes will be in excess of the current maximum disregard level. [57683/2…

510. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Social Protection the assistance or guidance his Department or agencies under the remit of his Department is providing to small business owners in relation to the introduction of auto-enrolment in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57424/25]

511. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will confirm that all weekly contributory and weekly non-contributory pensioners will receive the full ten euros increase in Budget 2026 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56523/25]

512. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection to clarify the eligibility criteria for the new fuel allowance payment for those in receipt of the working family payment, announced in Budget 2026; the proposed income thresholds, and any other qualifying conditions that will apply, when the measure is introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56566/25]

513. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that people are receiving letters informing them they are not eligible for the exceptional needs payment because they got it before, in some cases two years ago; if the Minister will ensure that this stops; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56588/25]

514. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Social Protection to please review the case of a person (details supplied) in the hope that his son can maintain his social welfare because of the extenuating circumstances. [56644/25]

515. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Social Protection the EU Member States that made restitution for historically discriminatory social welfare, particularly in the case of women who have lost out on pension payments due to the marriage bar preventing them from working; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56658/25]

516. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount that has been spent by his Department to conduct tendering processes for public infrastructure projects in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56699/25]

517. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for invalidity pension his Department has received in 2024 and to date in 2025; and the number of those applications that have been approved in each of the years in question, in tabular form. [56742/25]

518. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of appeals officers assigned to assessing both applications and appeals, respectively, for the State pension contributory. [56743/25]

519. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the work being done by his Department, and agencies under its remit, to facilitate, in line with the commitment under the Programme for Government, the easier return to Ireland for emigrants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56795/25]

520. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of a carer’s allowance application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56839/25]

521. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection whether UK pensioners residing in the Republic of Ireland (details supplied) are entitled to receive the UK winter fuel allowance under the provisions of the common travel area arrangements between Ireland and the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56888/25]

522. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has engaged with, or intends to engage with, the UK department for work and pensions regarding the recent changes to the winter fuel allowance eligibility criteria; if his Department will seek clarification on whether UK pensioners residing in Ireland under the common travel area will be afforded eligibility for the pay…

523. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if he considers it fair that parents are being penalised through reductions or exclusions from the fuel allowance and other social welfare supports as a result of the ongoing housing crisis, where many adult children are unable to secure independent accommodation and are continuing to live in the family home; if he will review …

524. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if carers allowance will be approved immediately for a person (details supplied). [56924/25]

525. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection the history of invalidity pension claims made by person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57017/25]

526. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 305 of 25 September 2025, the means by which these programmes are increasing the participation rate, particularly as Ireland ranks last in the EU for participation of persons with disabilities in the workplace; the targets over the next five years to show progress in this area; and if he will …

527. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection the details of the vacant buildings owned by his Department or by agencies under the remit of his Department in Dublin 2, 4, 6, and 6W, including, the address and size in square meters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57118/25]

528. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 253 of 8 October 2025, if charges under My Future Fund differ for participants who are actively contributing and for those who have ceased or paused contributions. [57126/25]

529. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection if the social insurance contributions of a person (details supplied) will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57200/25]

530. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of social welfare claims currently awaiting a decision, in each scheme, in County Wexford; the average waiting time for each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57207/25]