Parliamentary questions

1854. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans to reduce and remove the means test for carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43520/25]

1855. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Social Protection the social protection measures for which a means test is applicable; and the relevant income thresholds for the years 2019 to 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43604/25]

1856. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for a carer’s benefit will be approved for a person (details supplied). [43618/25]

1857. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of a child benefit application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43636/25]

1858. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of a domiciliary care allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43637/25]

1859. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing all core social welfare payments by €1, providing a breakdown, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43647/25]

1860. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of carers in receipt of the carer's support grant; providing a breakdown of the number eligible due to receiving the carer's allowance, carer's benefit, the domiciliary care allowance and all others, in tabular form. [43648/25]

1861. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of full-time equivalents directly employed by his Department, broken down by grade, in tabular form. [43667/25]

1862. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has a policy or goal of better insourcing of IT requirements and needs of the Department for better cybersecurity, autonomy and crisis management; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43685/25]

1863. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for disability allowance can be approved for a person (details supplied). [43792/25]

1864. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of providing a Christmas bonus double payment of each weekly social welfare payment on the same basis as in 2024, in tabular form; to provide a breakdown of the costs by each weekly payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44025/25]

1865. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the child support payment for under-12s by €6 or €10 and for over-12s by €10 or €15; to provide the current number of eligible children in each category, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44026/25]

1866. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the current cost of the free travel scheme; the number of participants; the projected cost of introducing free travel to students namely those aged 18 to 24 who hold a PSC card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44027/25]

1867. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the dates the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowances will be paid; the additional cost in a full year to increase each rate by €100; the estimated amount it would cost to extend it to foster carers allowance; the additional cost to provide the current payment to all school going children; and if he will make a statement on th…

1868. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing eligibility thresholds for SWA by 10%, 20%, 30% respectively, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44029/25]

1869. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of expanding eligibility for fuel allowance to all those on the working family payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44030/25]

1870. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing fuel allowance by €5 or €10 a week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44031/25]

1871. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of extending the fuel allowance to 32 weeks at current rates; the estimated cost of increasing it by €5 or €10 a week at 32 weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44032/25]

1872. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of introducing a €30 per week cost of disability payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44033/25]

1873. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of every additional ten community welfare officers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44034/25]

1874. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost to extend the JST to one-parent families in work, training or education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44035/25]

1875. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost to extend the entitlement to the living alone allowance and household benefits package to one-parent families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44036/25]

1876. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost for every €1 increase in the living alone allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44037/25]

1877. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the carer’s support grant by €150; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44038/25]

1878. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the projected cost of increasing the working family payment thresholds by €20 or €50; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44039/25]