Parliamentary questions

99. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to provide increased flexibility in the rural social scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21421/25]

100. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection when the means test for disability allowance will be abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20504/25]

101. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will report on the review of nutritional standards in the hot school meals programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21728/25]

102. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people who have qualified for the full amount of the jobseeker’s pay-related benefit; the proportion of the total number of recipients this is, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21745/25]

103. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people that have been added to the family carer register under the long-term carers contribution scheme; the number awarded the full-rate State pension under the scheme; the number of whom have been awarded a reduced rate, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21715/25]

104. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection for details of the review into the hot school meals programme. [21369/25]

105. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on plans to introduce a permanent annual cost of disability support payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21566/25]

106. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will explore the possibility of reducing the minimum hours of the wage subsidy scheme from 15 hours to ten hours (details supplied). [19846/25]

107. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Social Protection the financial or in-work incentives currently available to support individuals in County Offaly transitioning from welfare into employment, particularly in low-income or part-time roles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20775/25]

108. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if carer’s benefit could be considered as a scheme to be transformed into a pay-related one; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21765/25]

109. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools in Kerry now eligible to receive hot school meals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21420/25]

110. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to the fact the programme for Government commitment to allow parents aged over 66 receiving the State pension, who are caring for a child with a lifelong disability, to retain a full-rate carer's allowance discriminates against other carers, such as those caring for a spouse; and if he will make a statem…

111. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider removing the means test for the fuel allowance for individuals aged 70 and over, this will also make them eligible for free home energy upgrades (warmer homes scheme), from which they are currently excluded, allowing all elderly citizens to live more comfortably in their own homes; and if he will make a state…

112. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who have appealed the Department's decision to refuse them the humanitarian assistance payment in light of Storm Éowyn; the number of these appeals which have been successful; if his attention has been drawn to any cases where there were two applicants with identical applications and circumstances but one was …

113. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if he plans any changes to the qualifying criteria for the domiciliary care allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21540/25]

114. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on the operation of the funding schemes operated by his Department that offer ‘reasonable accommodation’ for employers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21653/25]

115. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to provide increased flexibility to local community employment schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21380/25]

116. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection what engagement his Department had with the Department of Education in relation to additional expenses being incurred by island schools in the delivery of the school meals programme, whereby island schools are required to fund the transport of meals to the island and from the quay to the school; and if he will make a statement…

117. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has plans to alter, abolish or change the means test on the carer's allowance; and if so, the date upon which these changes will come into effect. [20967/25]

118. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection his view on the recent Central Statistics Office statistics which show an increase in the poverty rates among children in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21712/25]

119. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline his plans to introduce targeted employment supports to groups facing additional challenges accessing work, such as disabilities, lone parents and minority groups including travellers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21567/25]

120. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the specific timeline for the removal of the means test for carer’s allowance as committed to in the Programme for Government; if he intends to significantly increase the income disregard in Budget 2026, as an important first step. [20776/25]

121. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the review of the rural social scheme, and when the remaining recommendations of the report will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14518/25]

122. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline if he is considering any revisions to the humanitarian assistance scheme at present, or the possible introduction of additional support measures for flood affected households, given the increasing regularity of severe weather events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21628/25]

123. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of organisations that have availed of the workplace adaptation and equipment grant when employing a person with a disability, in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21597/25]