336. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on the merits of eliminating the means test for the carer's allowance; the research his Department has carried out into this proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52973/25]
Parliamentary questions
Questions
TDs ask ministers questions to get answers on the record, most of them in writing. Here is every one asked in the 34th Dáil, by the department it went to and the subject heading it was filed under. How questions work
Browse the questions
Showing questions under the heading Social Welfare Eligibility.
511 questions match, newest first.
340. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection the financial supports available to cross-Border workers who live in this jurisdiction but are employed in the north of Ireland in the situation where they now no longer qualify for the working family payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53059/25]
348. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection to consider increasing the number of hours an applicant can work, and retain payment on carers allowance, from 18.5, to help those who are providing full-time care on lower incomes and lower hourly pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53195/25]
350. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection for a summary of all recent changes to means tests for the disability allowance, including any changes to income disregards and maximum working hours. [53220/25]
363. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of expanding living alone allowance to all individuals over the age of 66; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53263/25]
369. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of years it will take before he will be in a position to abolish the means test for carer's allowance. [53384/25]
370. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount disregarded from means assessment under the job seekers allowance scheme and the non-contributory pension scheme from income derived from seaweed harvesting; when this disregard was last adjusted; the change in the consumer price index since; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53536/25]
371. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person whose self-employed income derives wholly from seaweed harvesting is eligible to receive farm assist; if such persons are made aware of this entitlement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53541/25]
374. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department will propose a policy change to allow for carers to be eligible for the fuel allowance without another person in the house having to be on a social welfare payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53557/25]
377. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person in receipt of death benefits under the occupational injuries scheme can avail of the living alone allowance; if not, if he will consider such a request; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53769/25]
381. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that section 179(4) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005's criteria for when a relevant person shall be regarded as requiring full-time care and attention precludes many carers of neurodivergent people; if he is aware that this passage does not acknowledge the essential needs specific to neurodivergent people who require full-…
383. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection to revise the approach to the income disregards for the means test for the carers allowance (details supplied). [53805/25]
387. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2026 of increasing the income limit to be eligible for fuel allowance for persons aged over 66 to €560 per week for a single person or €1,120 for a couple; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53847/25]
332. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the fuel allowance payment for a person (details supplied) was stopped, and the options available to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52844/25]
333. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) does not have an entitlement to the fuel allowance or living alone allowance; the options now available to the person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52847/25]
100. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that persons in receipt of a widow/widower’s pension and under 70 are not entitled to free travel for a companion, while their counterparts entitled to free travel who have a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant can travel for free with them; if he will consider extending free travel for companions to these widow’s/widower’s; and if he will …
105. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the current policy whereby domiciliary care allowance ceases at age 16, requiring families to apply for disability allowance, which is means-tested on the household, resulting in many families losing financial support for their child with a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52467/25]
106. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider extending the upper age limit for domiciliary care allowance to 18 years of age, to ensure continuity of support for young persons with disabilities and their families, particularly in cases where the means test for disability allowance results in ineligibility for payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52468/25]
108. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of families who lose all State support when their child turns 16 and domiciliary care allowance ends, due to not meeting the means test for disability allowance, in tabular form; the measures being considered to address this gap in support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52470/25]
111. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department plans to increase the income threshold for the fuel allowance payment; if not, if he will consider same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52592/25]
599. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether her Department will review the eligibility of undocumented individuals for welfare benefits; and the safeguards which exist to ensure only lawful residents access payments. [51158/25]
600. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures in place to verify residency and legal status in applications for social welfare payments; and if additional safeguards are being introduced in 2025. [51171/25]
620. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the abolition of the means test for carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51314/25]
624. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of maternity benefit applications refused on the grounds of insufficient PRSI; the estimated number involving full-time PhD researchers or scholarship holders; if a breakdown by HEI, by month will be provided; the number and outcome of appeals in these cases, in 2020 to 2024 and to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter…
625. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has examined options to maintain insurability for PhD scholarship holders e.g. an education/training PRSI credit or a tailored insurable class so that eligibility for maternity benefit and related payments accrues during State-supported doctoral study; the outcome of any such analysis; the timeframe for a decision; and if he will mak…