Questions

636. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue on a person’s (details supplied) carers allowance review in view of the fact it has been pending for some time; if he will give serious consideration to awarding the person the carers allowance given they provide a significant level of full time care to the person in question and the means test threshold has increased significa…

637. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the income thresholds for single occupancy households applying for the fuel allowance, in view of the increased cost of living and the fact that two-person households benefit from a higher threshold; and if he will consider raising the income limits for single person households to ensure equitable access to the fuel allowance. [51618/2…

638. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will clarify the eligibility of individuals for an allowance (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51626/25]

639. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection if clear written guidance can be provided to Intreo staff regarding the eligibility of social enterprise founders and directors for the back to work enterprise allowance, in view of the Government’s stated policy to support social enterprises and neurodivergent individuals’ participation in economic and social life; and if he will make a statement on…

640. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline how the current back to work enterprise allowance eligibility criteria apply to social enterprises registered as companies limited by guarantee, and whether directors or founders working on a contract or employment basis are eligible to apply for the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51628/25]

641. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the back to work enterprise allowance scheme to ensure that it is accessible to founders of social enterprises, particularly those serving vulnerable or neurodivergent adults, given the Government’s commitment to supporting social inclusion and mental health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51629/25]

642. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection whether the intention to work on a contract basis for a social enterprise, prior to the enterprise being able to offer direct employment, precludes an applicant from qualifying for the back to work enterprise allowance; and if not, if he will issue guidance to Intreo offices to ensure consistency in decision making; and if he will make a statement on…

643. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on any plans to amend the back to work enterprise allowance, or related supports, to better accommodate the unique structures and needs of social enterprises, in line with the Government’s social enterprise policy and the National Disability Inclusion Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51631/25]

94. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to reform the disability allowance payment and remove anomalies in the current means test for the payment. [50675/25]

96. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the assessment criteria for social protection payments in cases where applicants and-or part-time farming applicants are not in paid employment outside the home but provide essential unpaid care and support within the household; and if he will consider allowing greater flexibility in recognising minimal or subsistence-level farming acti…

107. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the rule that prevents widows, widowers and surviving civil partners from receiving illness benefit when they have made sufficient PRSI contributions. [49998/25]

113. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason widows/widowers who work full-time and are in receipt of a widow's/widower's pension and pay PRSI and all other taxes are not eligible for illness benefit; his plans to change this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49710/25]

132. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will extend illness benefit to self-employed workers, recognising that illness can prevent them from earning a livelihood in the same way as PAYE workers; if he will outline plans under consideration to address this gap in social protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50825/25]

134. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the eligibility criteria for the fuel allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50782/25]

137. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is any process by which former partners who were divorced or separated from the bereaved ie, widows; widowers; surviving civil partners and surviving cohabitants, who are not covered by the bereaved partners pension may access compensation or financial assistance for funeral costs; the costs of raising the bereaved's children; if he will co…

148. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Social Protection his assessment of the impact to date of improvements to the carer's allowance means test. [50673/25]

152. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to expand the criteria of the occupational injuries benefit scheme to include healthcare workers suffering with long Covid symptoms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50571/25]

168. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider removing means-testing for access to social protection supports e.g. fuel allowance and the household energy package, for people with an end-of-life cancer diagnosis; if he is aware that an organisation (details supplied) funded research in which people reported energy hardship in households where people are receiving palliative …

92. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason job sharing teachers who apply for carer's benefit are being refused as they are deemed not to work enough hours, even though they work well beyond their timetabled hours, including for the substitution and supervision scheme, yard duty and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50688/25]

424. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has reviewed the current eligibility criteria for the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance, in light of concerns raised regarding foster families; if he will now consider removing the means test requirement including the need to be in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment for foster carers, to ensure that all children in State …

733. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of disability allowance applications refused in the past five years for people with chronic conditions that significantly impact mobility and daily functioning, including chronic pain conditions; the average success rate at appeal stage; the average waiting time for appeal decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48023/25]

775. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection the social welfare entitlements of a person (details supplied). [48688/25]

1335. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has given consideration to removing the means test on jobseekers payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44820/25]

1341. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason widows who work full-time and are in receipt of a widow's pension and pay PRSI and all other taxes are not eligible for normal illness benefit. [44954/25]

1347. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if a carer's allowance application for a person (details supplied) will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45047/25]