Parliamentary questions

1382. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the breakdown of the age profile categories of clients being granted invalidity pension in the last number of years, broken down under age profiles, under 25, 25 to 34, 35 to 44, 45 to 54 and 55 to 65; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46183/25]

1383. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the increase in income disregards for carer's allowance as committed to in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46206/25]

1384. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the timeframe for the enactment of legislation implementing the Supreme Court decision in a case (details supplied); whether this legislation will be enacted with retrospective effect from January 2024, or if it will apply only from the date of enactment. [46297/25]

1385. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the first year and full year cost of increasing jobseeker’s transitional payment by €1. [46301/25]

1386. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the first year and full year cost of increasing the income disregard for jobseekers transitional payment by 10%. [46302/25]

1387. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the first year and full year cost of increasing the income disregard for working family payment by 10%. [46303/25]

1388. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the first year and full year cost of introducing a part-time rate of job seekers for self employed making less than a 40 hour week at the current minimum wage. [46304/25]

1389. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on creating a statutory to recognise a child that does not conform to world health organisation stillbirth standards of less than 500 grammes and a gestational age of less than 24 weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46317/25]

1390. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the total funding allocated to County Louth under this Department from 2023 to date, per year in tabular form. [46357/25]

1391. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection to expedite an application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46362/25]

1392. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the structure of the State maternity benefit to consider moving to a pay-related model similar to jobseekers pay related benefit, in order to better reflect prior earnings and contributions and reduce the long-term financial disadvantage faced by women, particularly in light of the long-term impact on pension enti…

1393. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide the details and addresses of all properties in the ownership of the Department that are absolved from paying commercial rates to the relevant local authority of the location that the property is in; to provide a similar list of properties for agencies or bodies under its remit that are also absolved from commercial rate…

1394. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is aware of the fall-out of the new legislation surrounding the delivery of the school meals, whereby no member of staff or student can participate in the delivery process of the School Meals Programme, i.e. heat the meals on delivery; and if she thinks it is practical for small schools to be able to afford to employ some…

1395. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider amending the rules on carer’s allowance in order that a person who is in receipt of a State pension would also be eligible to qualify for the full rate of carer’s allowance, as many older people are providing full-time care for a loved one in need, this care is crucial to the State; and if he will make a statement…

1396. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of international protection applicants in receipt of the daily expenses allowance who are also in employment; the measures in place to prevent double payment or welfare dependency; and the policy rationale for continuing the allowance when applicants have income from work. [46533/25]

1397. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the total cost to the Exchequer of the daily expenses allowance provided to international protection applicants in each of the past three years, broken down by those in employment and those not in employment. [46534/25]

1398. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the universal over 70s companion pass will come into effect on 1 September 2025; if all persons over 70 years have now been contacted and supplied with their companion pass; the breakdown of the number of people who will benefit from this measure, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46536/25]

1399. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the responsibility that is on his Department to ensure that citizens are appropriately educated and informed about the terms of individual social welfare payments and the potential implications of availing or not availing of a particular payment, for example that some count as credits for a State pension and others do not; and i…

1400. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection if further to the review of the non-contributory pension for a person (details supplied) a contributory pension can be considered; if a record of contributions will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46578/25]

1401. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); if he will expedite the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46594/25]

1402. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the bereaved partners grant only applies to those whose partner’s death occurred on or after 21 July 2025; to confirm that consideration would be given to extending this grant to those whose partners died before this date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46673/25]

1403. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of contracts a firm (details supplied) have had with his Department in the years of 2024 and to-date in 2025; the nature of services the firm provided to his Department in each of the years, in tabular form. [46707/25]

1404. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the percentage of applications for fuel allowance from persons over 70 years of age that were refused the fuel allowance in 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form; the top three reasons for refusal; and the grade of staff member within his Department that decides to approve or refuse fuel allowance for persons over 70 years of …

1405. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports or schemes available to qualified post primary teachers who are currently unemployed, particularly in cases where there are no suitable vacancies in their local area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46737/25]

1406. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the urgent steps she is taking to ensure that no school loses out on their hot meals following changes to regulations which is preventing small schools from availing of a service (details supplied); the measures she will take to ensure that rural schools are being serviced sufficiently; the efforts she is taking to improve the le…