Parliamentary questions

57. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans within his Department to expand remote-work training and supports for jobseekers in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46202/26]

58. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on the rollout of the auto-enrolment pension system; the steps being taken to ensure workers and employers are compliant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46197/26]

59. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection following the Cost of Disability – Strategic Focus Network Summit; the way in which he plans to address the cost of disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46331/26]

60. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection following the Cost of Disability – Strategic Focus Network Summit; the way in which he plans to address the cost of disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46358/26]

61. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he is considering advocating, as part of the pre-budget process, for targeted employer PRSI relief measures for SMEs, particularly in respect of lower-paid workers, in order to help locally owned businesses maintain employment and remain competitive in the face of rising business costs; and if he will make a statement on th…

62. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection for a breakdown of all persons currently on jobseeker's allowance, per Intreo area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45903/26]

63. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the actions he plans on taking for those who have been working to date this year as reserves in the Defence Forces, and are now being left without certainty regarding income as they do not have the necessary PRSI contributions to qualify for jobseekers benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46151/26]

64. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection when the cost of disability payment will be introduced; the approximate amount and frequency of payment at which it is likely to be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46271/26]

65. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide any analysis of use cases and business cases formulated by his Department regarding expanding the use of the Public Services Card prior to the initiation of the Social Welfare and Other Matters Bill (2026); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46266/26]

66. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people he expects to benefit from the forthcoming increase in income disregards for the carer’s allowance; the plans for further changes in Budget 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46039/26]

67. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection his key priorities under the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2026–2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46026/26]

68. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the average processing times for carer's allowance, disability allowance, and domiciliary care allowance applications; the number of applications awaiting decision in each scheme; the average time taken to determine appeals in each scheme in 2025 and to date in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46257/26]

69. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps that will be taken towards abolishing the means test for carers’ allowance in the Budget; if he has considered abolishing the means test for disability allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46272/26]

70. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the number that received the carer’s support grant in 2026; the way in which this compares to 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46034/26]

71. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he is aware that applications for assistance with bills under the urgent needs payment scheme in the first three months of this year has doubled. [46299/26]

72. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection his priorities for Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46021/26]

73. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection when his Department will publish a concrete roadmap and timeline for the complete abolition of a means test, given the recent income increase in family carers allowance thousands of family carers are still facing complex financial issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46152/26]

74. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures he will put in place to ensure that the Hot School Meals Programme supports local employment, delivers freshly prepared meals on a daily basis, and ensures the programme supports sustainability and local economic development across all eligible providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46031/26]

75. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to increase the top-up payment for participants on community employment schemes, TÚS, and rural social schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46246/26]

76. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the timeline for the conclusion of the public consultation on a potential new targeted child payment and new working age payment launched by his Department on 5 May 2026; the number of submissions received to date; when he expects to bring proposals arising from the consultation to Government; and if he will make a statement on…

77. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the evidentiary requirements for carer’s allowance applications and reviews; if he will examine whether carers are being asked to repeatedly provide medical or supporting documents already held by the Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45626/26]

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]

79. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider a review of the minimum 16 hours required weekly worked hours to qualify for carer’s benefit for teachers who are not on full time hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46264/26]

80. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Social Protection whether there is a plan to assist schools who have been unable to source a supplier for hot school meals, being invariably smaller primary schools in rural area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45630/26]

81. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection for a report on the Strategic Focus Network Summit on Cost of Disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46029/26]