Parliamentary questions

1479. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the case of an application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21115/25]

1480. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review an application under the humanitarian assistance scheme for a person (details supplied) who was recently discharged from hospital on the day of a major storm event and required the urgent use of a generator to power medical equipment and heating; if he will take into account the individual’s low income, disabil…

1481. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on an application under the humanitarian assistance scheme for a person (details supplied) who has not received any response from his Department following their application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21156/25]

1482. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on an application under the humanitarian assistance scheme for a person (details supplied) who has not received any response from the Department following their application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21157/25]

1483. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on an application under the humanitarian assistance scheme for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21159/25]

1484. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on extending the widowed parent tax credit beyond five years; his further views on extending financial supports for widows and widowers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21180/25]

1485. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Social Protection the financial assistance available for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21229/25]

1486. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if there has been any change in policy in relation to sending people to Seetec faster after they apply for jobseeker’s payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21256/25]

1487. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide figures for the number of people who have had their jobseekers’ payments cut each month to date in 2025; the amount deducted from payments as a result; how this compares with previous years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21257/25]

1488. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of enterprises in receipt of the wage subsidy scheme to support employment of those with disabilities and the number of individuals so supported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21274/25]

1489. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection if he plans to increase the levels of hourly payment made under the wage subsidy scheme which helps enterprises employ those with disabilities. [21275/25]

1490. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection when an appeals meeting for disablement benefit will be made for a person (details supplied). [21282/25]

1491. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made in relation to a carer’s allowance review (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21295/25]

1492. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when will a decision will be made regarding a carers allowance review (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21299/25]

289. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection in relation to invalidity pension, if a change has taken place with regard to the application criteria from ‘incapable to work for the following 12-month period’ to ‘incapable to work permanently’; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18094/25]

290. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of the pandemic unemployment payment who were retrospectively deemed ineligible for the amount they received and asked to repay overpayments; the delay between each such recipient receiving their last payment and being informed that they were subsequently being deemed ineligible; the reason for this del…

291. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Social Protection if he intends to revise the fee paid to optometrists under the PRSI benefit scheme; if so, the status of these plans; the timeline for its implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18171/25]

292. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is an age limit for the new baby grant concerning adoptive children; what the age limit is; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18201/25]

293. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the new income disregard for the carer’s allowance that will come into effect on July 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18202/25]

294. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if the homemaker’s scheme also covers households where parents are unmarried but a qualified cohabiting couple; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18203/25]

295. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the school lunch programme for rural schools, especially in Kerry, as rural schools are faced with a lack of providers for the school lunch programme as the distance is prohibitive; if she will increase the funding for this service in rural schools to reflect the distances from local providers to the schools; an…

296. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has decided to review supports for workers who are put on short-time work in the context of the impact on workers and businesses of the tariffs announced by the US President on 2 April; if he will consider introducing a scheme similar to the German Kurzarbeit scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18269/25]

297. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is considering a PRSI rebate for SME’s to help them deal with increased costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18284/25]

298. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department will provide more clarity on the availability of welfare priority for care leavers under exceptional social grounds in situations where they are at risk of homelessness. [18299/25]

299. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reasoning for having a cut-off point of 28 March for the pay-related job benefits scheme; why people who lost their jobs before this date are excluded from the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18347/25]