Parliamentary questions

1754. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a blind pension payment has been stopped for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41024/25]

1755. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 629 of 17 July 2025, the reason he issued a hard copy response to the representation to this Deputy rather than to the individual who made the representation; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that no hard copy has been received by this Deputy; and if he will make a statement on the …

1756. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will increase core social welfare rates by €16 per week as part of the Government’s target to reduce consistency rates to 2% nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41045/25]

1757. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will increase the index-link of the income disregard for the one-parent family payment and jobseeker’s transitional payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41046/25]

1758. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will increase the living alone allowance to ensure a targeted measure to support single adult households, in line with MESL research; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41048/25]

1759. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will work towards aligning the child support payment to the primary social welfare payment and increase the payment by €6 per week for children under 12 and €15 per week for children 12 and over; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41049/25]

1760. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide the total number of grant payments issued by the Department in each of the past five years, along with the total value of those grant payments for each year, in tabular form; and to confirm whether these figures include all schemes and discretionary grant programmes administered directly by the Department or through its …

1761. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount of money paid to fraudulent applicants by his Department, in each of the past ten years; and the amount which has been recouped by his Department in each of those years. [41147/25]

1762. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who applied for job seeker's allowance or job seeker's benefit who listed their previous employment as farming in each of the past ten years and to date in 2025. [41148/25]

1763. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will increase the roll-out of free hot school meals to all children and ensure ongoing evaluation of their nutritional content; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41205/25]

1764. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will ensure households are able to purchase the essential energy they need to stay warm and well, and raise the fuel allowance by €9.50 per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41208/25]

1765. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will fulfil the commitment in the programme for Government and extend the fuel allowance to recipients of the working family payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41209/25]

1766. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will introduce a weekly cost of disability payment of €55 to cover the additional costs facing people with a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41210/25]

1767. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of long waiting times currently in his Department regarding the settling of appeals, particularly in terms of appeals on carers’ allowance and invalidity pension and other benefits, causing financial hardship to those waiting for a decision; the plans he has to tackle these long wait times and ensure a more efficient and…

1768. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the high level of care needed for a child from his mother (details supplied) is not being taken fully into account for her domiciliary care allowance application, given the medical evidence, the ongoing treatment and expected surgeries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41278/25]

1769. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 646 of 15 July 2025, if he accepts that his Department, using as it does its customers' PPS number, can readily identify if a person whose payment is under review is over 80 years-of-age; the reason reviews of the aged and infirm do not provide for the sensitivity required to ensure that ex…

1770. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of payments made in respect of the homeowner’s once-off payment in lieu of mortgage interest tax credit to date; and the average payment made and the overall value of the claim nationally. [41339/25]

1771. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application by a person (details supplied) for the homeowner’s once-off payment will be reviewed. [41340/25]

1772. Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated timeframe for completion of reviews of applications for carer’s allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41396/25]

1773. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the carer’s allowance application of a person (details supplied). [41398/25]

1774. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans his Department has to make those carers in receipt of a State pension eligible for the full rate of carer’s allowance, rather than the present half rate, if he will acknowledge that many pensioners who are providing care to a family member 24/7 are struggling financially; and if he will make a statement on the matt…

1775. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for social welfare payment delays on 7 and 14 July 2025; the way in which the issue was rectified; the measures taken to prevent a recurrence; if both delays were caused by the same issue or by different issues; the steps that have been taken to prevent these issues from reoccurring; and if he will make a statement on…

1776. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the projected cost in 2026 of increasing the income disregard for carer’s allowance to €750 (single) and €1,500 (couple); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41415/25]

1777. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection if a more efficient system could be considered for seasonal workers who are temporarily laid off for the summer months and need to avail of jobseeker’s benefit (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41430/25]

1778. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection when the Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 will be enacted; when it will be commenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41479/25]