Parliamentary questions

595. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has any record of the number of people who may be entitled to the working family payment but have not made an application; whether the Department is following up on this information; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34344/25]

596. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection the income supports that are available for an employed person, also in receipt of disability allowance, but out of work due to illness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34382/25]

597. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection whether illness benefit is available to an employed person with a long-term illness, also in receipt of disability allowance, whilst on extended sick leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34383/25]

598. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department will consider a proposal to extend the child benefit payment for a number of months for families who lose a child; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34435/25]

599. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons availing of fish assist in each county, in tabular form. [34480/25]

600. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the entitlements of EU and UK nationals living in Ireland to jobseekers allowance, jobseekers benefit, children’s allowance, and any other additional supplementary or emergency payments; to outline the conditions attached to such claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34490/25]

601. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will report on progress on completing and publishing the study on benchmarking and indexing working-age social protection payments committed to in the Mid-Term Review of the Roadmap for Social Inclusion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34532/25]

602. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on his Department's examination of the concept of income adequacy as a lever to take people out of consistent poverty in the context that our social protection payments are not linked to the cost of living; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34534/25]

603. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update in relation to MESL 2025; the steps that are necessary to ensure that Ireland's obligations under the European Pillar of Social Rights and the UN Sustainable Development Goals are met regarding providing everyone with an income that allows them to live with dignity; and if he will make a statement on the …

85. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of the groups excluded from the jobseeker’s pay-related benefit, in particular the seasonal, casual, short-time or part-time workers such as school caretakers and secretaries who could benefit considerably from receiving the jobseeker’s pay-related benefit in lieu of the jobseeker’s benefit; and if he will make a st…

86. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline his plans for a pay-related carer’s benefit payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33117/25]

87. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of the considerable financial burden the cost of school tablets imposes on parents; if he will consider expanding the back-to-school payment or introducing a device allowance for children attending schools that require tablets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33102/25]

88. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to a report on child poverty (details supplied); his plans to address the rising number of children living in consistent poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33108/25]

89. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department will conduct a review of the delays relating to the awarding of disability and carer’s allowance, particularly in light of delays of up to five months that have occurred in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33295/25]

90. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on plans to abolish the means test for the carer’s allowance, given the strong support for this in the programme for Government; to confirm if it will be included in budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32829/25]

91. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on the progress made by his Department in exploring the introduction of a targeted second-tier child benefit payment for low-income families in light of recent reports highlighting a significant rise in child poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33150/25]

92. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection if he or his officials have had engagement with a company (details supplied) and the examiner located there since announcement of the company entering into examinership; the extent to which the Department can support this process to ensure workers there are supported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32742/25]

93. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of the child poverty monitor report from a group (detail supplied); if he has any plans to address its findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33106/25]

94. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to extend the free travel pass to children in receipt of domiciliary care allowance; the number of children who would benefit; the estimated cost of this extension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32745/25]

95. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the current strategy for community employment, the number of sponsor groups, participants and supervisors and whether any changes are planned to the scheme this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26196/25]

96. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to suspend the periodic means test reviews for carers in receipt of carer's benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33130/25]

97. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Social Protection when he expects to publish the comprehensive review of means testing across the social welfare system as committed to in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32707/25]

98. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on plans to abolish the carers allowance means test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32278/25]

99. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has any plans to review the appeals process for the domiciliary care allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33038/25]

100. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Social Protection the initiatives he is taking to support foster carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33147/25]