Parliamentary questions

686. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) is entitled to a reimbursement for their dental costs under the treatment benefit scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17432/25]

687. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has any vacant or derelict buildings in Dublin-Rathdown; to provide the addresses of these buildings and details on the length of time they have been derelict, in tabular form; and his plans to bring any vacant or derelict buildings back into use. [17485/25]

688. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if a working group tasked with assessing the impact of a new, non-binary, category of gender on existing legislation has been established (details supplied); if not, when is he planning for this interdepartmental group to start the assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17532/25]

689. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if, when an individual is making an application for an additional needs’ payment, State redress payments are considered when means are being taken into account. [17641/25]

255. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients currently in receipt of both the one parent family payment and the half rate carer’s allowance; the number of these recipients who will lose their entitlement to these payments in 2025 due to their child turning 16; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16328/25]

256. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on the extension of the homeowner's once-off payment in respect of 2024 mortgage interest payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16339/25]

257. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the case of an appeal regarding State pension non-contributory arrears for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16357/25]

258. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for the lengthy delays in processing appeals by the Social Welfare Appeals Office as compared to the timelines in 2023 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16364/25]

259. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the average waiting time for processing an appeal by the Social Welfare Appeals Office in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16365/25]

260. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delays in processing an appeal for a person (details supplied) by the Social Welfare Appeals Office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16366/25]

261. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to give greater flexibility in the hot meals programme menu being offered to children in special schools (details supplied), especially for children with additional sensory needs and specific dietary preferences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16404/25]

262. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures he will take to ensure that food produced in Ireland will be included in the first instance for hot school meals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16432/25]

263. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the average time to process an application for carer's allowance, disability allowance, one-parent family allowance and invalidity pension; the average waiting time for a person who wishes to appeal a refusal of each of the above; the steps he proposes to take to shorten these waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the ma…

185. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the name of the provider that currently holds the largest contract for delivering hot school meals to primary and secondary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16181/25]

186. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on whether the poverty reduction target contained in the roadmap for social inclusion was, or will be, achieved; if a new poverty reduction strategy will be developed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16323/25]

187. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on the review for a humanitarian assistance application for a person (details supplied) as the refusal states that they were without power for less than 48 hours, when in fact they had no power for eight days; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15882/25]

188. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue for a humanitarian assistance scheme application for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15898/25]

189. Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on a domiciliary allowance application for person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15906/25]

190. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made for a humanitarian assistance scheme application for a person (details supplied) whose electricity supply was out following Storm Éowyn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15911/25]

191. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made in relation to a carer’s allowance application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15998/25]

192. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16004/25]

193. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of claimants of the widow’s pension who were separated or divorced in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and in to date 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16154/25]

194. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the dates and attendees of all MinMAC meetings in his Department since he took office. [16209/25]

195. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection if he plans to raise the weekly rate of the under-66 widow’s, widower’s or surviving civil partner’s (contributory) pension from €249.50 as it is less than the Central Statistics Office’s "at risk of poverty" threshold of €318 per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16292/25]

196. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection if eligibility for the living alone increase could be provided for those under 66 years who receive the widow’s, widower’s or surviving civil partner’s (contributory) pension; the reason it is not provided currently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16293/25]