Parliamentary questions

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]

334. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has undertaken any work toward assisting with the roll-out of a digital ID system; if his Department is involved with implementing the EU’s plan to offer digital identity to all of its citizens and residents by 2026 under the eIDAS 2.0 regulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52852/25]

335. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on recent reports (details supplied) that the child benefit payment system is subject to abuse by non-resident nationals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52853/25]

336. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons from 2018 to date who have had child benefit payments ended because of fraud or because they were found to have misled his Department with respect to compliance and eligibility rules; the estimated cost to the taxpayer involving such cases in terms of monies that were paid out that should not have been paid out …

337. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount of money reimbursed to private operators since 2022 for the operation of the free travel scheme for over-66s, broken down by year and by operator, in tabular form. [52876/25]

338. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Social Protection for a breakdown of the current cost of the free travel pass scheme; the number of people currently availing of a free travel pass; and the average cost of the free travel pass per year for an individual. [52877/25]

339. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Social Protection whether payment rates for private operators included in the free travel scheme are based on actual use of free travel on routes, estimated usage or through some other means of calculating the level of payment to these operators. [52878/25]

99. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the percentage of jobseekers’ payment claimants that have had reduced rates applied to them in 2023, 2024 and 2025 to date; the amount by which jobseekers’ payments have been reduced in total as a result, for each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52261/25]

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/widowe…

101. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person in receipt of the new bereaved partners contributory pension can also claim an illness benefit, or any other social welfare payment, given the new payment is a contributory one; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52295/25]

102. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection to clarify when a person will stop receiving their widow's pension under the Social Welfare (Bereaved Partners and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025. [52305/25]

103. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of reduced rates for jobseekers payments that have been applied to recipients with dependent children in 2023, 2024 and to date 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52343/25]

104. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person is unhappy with a section 318 review by the Chief Appeals Officer, the next course of action for the person; and if he will intervene in the decision [52368/25]

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 …

107. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans to reform the transition process from domiciliary care allowance to disability allowance, with a view to reducing the financial hardship experienced by families who no longer qualify for support due to the means test applied to disability allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52469/25]

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]

109. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider introducing a non-means-tested payment or transitional support for young persons with disabilities who are no longer eligible for domiciliary care allowance and do not qualify for disability allowance due to household means; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52471/25]

110. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on an application for carers allowance (details supplied); if he will expedite same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52527/25]

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]

112. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department plans to increase the rate of for the living alone allowance payment; if not, if he will consider same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52593/25]

597. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection why school bus escorts who have to sign on during school holidays have faced delays of up to five weeks to receive their payment; and the measures he is taking to ensure this does not occur again at future holiday periods. [52078/25]

598. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) was refused carers benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51140/25]

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]