Parliamentary questions

149. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the review of the nutritional requirements and quality of food provided under the hot school meal programme; if there is a timeline for these standards to be put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21729/25]

150. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that qualified surviving cohabitants bereaved before January 22nd 2024 are not entitled to receive retrospective bereaved partner’s pension payments from before that date; if the Minister is aware of the number of qualified surviving cohabitants in this situation; if he is aware of the hardship endured by qualified…

151. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is considering the use of artificial intelligence to improve the processing of claims and payments by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21723/25]

152. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools in county Kildare that are now eligible to receive hot school meals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21686/25]

153. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has carried out any research or analysis on implementing a child poverty reduction Act, similar to the Act introduced in Scotland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21713/25]

154. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will give an update on the pension auto-enrolment scheme; when it will be rolled out; the cause for recent delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21762/25]

155. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of the hardship endured by adults aged 18-24 who are denied access to the full rate of jobseeker’s allowance; if he is aware of the impact this has on poverty rates among youth jobseeker’s allowance recipients; if he will consider abolishing the reduced rate for people aged 18-24 in light of this impact; and if he …

156. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people between the ages of eighteen and sixty six in casual or part-time work in receipt of social welfare payment in 2022, 2023, 2024, and to date in 2025, by payment type, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21433/25]

157. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline his plans for the Programme for Government commitment to introduce a new working age payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21724/25]

158. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Social Protection the means by which he will ensure that the social protection system is work-friendly; that welfare traps which inhibit people from taking up work are removed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21640/25]

159. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps that could be taken to increase the uptake of disability, equality and inclusion awareness training to help make the transition to employment for a person with a disability easier; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21382/25]

160. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the commitment in the Programme for Government to examine how the social protection system can better support people fleeing domestic violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21742/25]

161. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will report on the number of people engaged in work and skills week 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21698/25]

162. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of island schools receiving the school meals programme; if he is satisfied with the way in which the programme is operating on island schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17120/25]

270. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will examine the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21753/25]

271. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection to examine the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21812/25]

272. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide a roadmap over the next number of Budgets in which carers in receipt of the carer’s allowance can expect the income disregards for the payment to increase; the date by which the means-test will then be abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21990/25]

273. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason it is necessary for persons to present themselves at a welfare office to have a photo taken for a public service card; if there are plans to have this available to do online [SUBSTITUTE]; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20866/25]

274. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications made for disability allowance, between 2020 and the first quarter of 2025, in tabular form; the number of applications that were successful; the number of applications rejected; the number of rejected applications appealed; the number of appeals granted; the average length of time from application to fi…

275. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of the proposed abolition of the means test for carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20993/25]

276. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Social Protection to address concerns regarding the nutritional value of the meals provided under the hot school meals programme; if he is aware that certain dietary requirements are not catered for under the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17150/25]

277. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the financial measures the Government is taking to support parents who wish to stay home with their children in light of a poll (details supplied) that showed 69% of mothers with children under 18 would prefer to stay home with their children if their financial situation allowed it. [17167/25]

278. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the date of the Social Welfare Appeals Office decision that a postmaster was an employee and not self-employed, which has been appealed to the High Court by An Post (details supplied). [21819/25]

279. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection the PRSI pension contributions recorded for women who are absent from the workforce while caring for children; his proposals to alleviate the undue financial hardship incurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21857/25]

280. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications received under the humanitarian assistance scheme; the number of appeals received; the number of appeals as of yet undecided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21858/25]