Parliamentary questions

1190. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the eligibility criteria applicable to publicly funded driving lesson, learner permit, driving test and driver training supports provided through schemes operated by his Department or bodies under its remit; and whether such supports are available to Irish citizens, EU nationals, persons with international protection status, applica…

1191. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the total amount expended, directly or indirectly, on driving lessons, learner permits, driving tests, vehicle hire for driving tests, and related driver training supports for persons participating in employment activation or social inclusion programmes in each of the past five years, broken down by scheme and by county. [42370/26]

1192. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether recipients of publicly funded driving lesson, driving test or driver training supports are subject to any repayment conditions, clawback provisions or financial recovery mechanisms where they subsequently cease employment, fail to take up employment, or discontinue participation in an activation programme; and if he will pro…

1193. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has undertaken any review, assessment or evaluation of publicly funded driving lesson or driving test support schemes linked to employment activation, rural transport accessibility, or social inclusion objectives; and if he will provide details of any such reviews, including expenditure, eligibility criteria a…

1194. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of an appeal for domiciliary care allowance for a person (details supplied); if the appeal can be expedited given the circumstances; if his Department will provide an update on the expected timeline for a decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42392/26]

1195. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the eligibility criteria for Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA), specifically the requirement that entitlement ceases when a child reaches 16 years of age; whether consideration is being given to extending eligibility to age 18, particularly for lifelong conditions such as Type 1 diabetes where significant …

1196. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the 18.5 hour weekly work limit attached to Carer’s Allowance eligibility in circumstances where carers wish to remain in employment, particularly in professions such as teaching where standard working hours exceed the permitted threshold; if consideration has been given to introducing greater flexibility…

1197. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection the staff turnover rate in his Department in the years 2019 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42432/26]

1198. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider addressing the existing gap in the jobseeker's allowance payment which does not provide bereavement leave for citizens in receipt of this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42458/26]

1199. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider widening the existing scope provided for as 'holiday leave' for citizens in receipt of the jobseeker's allowance payment to also include family bereavements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42459/26]

1200. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Social Protection whether consideration is being given to extending eligibility for domiciliary care allowance beyond the age of 16 years to 18 years to align with the completion of secondary school education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42540/26]

1201. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will ensure that the entitlement of a person (details supplied) to carer's allowance is determined for an application first made in August 2025; the reasons this allowance has not been approved to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42697/26]

1202. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to a review of the current means-testing arrangements for the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance as they apply to foster children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42713/26]

1203. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the €20,000 disregard to €50,000 in the capital formula for blind pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42733/26]

1204. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm if a “qualified child increase” is taken into account in means tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42766/26]

1205. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of parents or guardians required to complete forms or applications relating to children leaving school at 16 years- of age, in each of the past five years, in tabular form; if consideration has been given to extending supports such as child benefit until the age of 19 years-of-age in line with current educational parti…

1206. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be reached in respect of a 317 review of both applications for domiciliary care allowance (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42923/26]

1207. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 758 of 26 May 2026, if he could provide details surrounding the current review into means testing across all social assistance schemes that his Department administers; whether a public consultation will be held as part of this review; whether his Department will engage with relevant advocacy gr…

1208. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the case of a person (details supplied); if he will provide an update on the invalidity pension review in question; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42948/26]

1209. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will undertake a review of the means test for disability allowance, with particular regard to the assessment of a partner’s income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42956/26]

1210. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider reviewing the means test for disability allowance to allow persons with a disability to access the allowance in their own right (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42989/26]

1211. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if jobseekers benefit has been categorised as a qualifying payment for fuel allowance; if not, if he will consider making this change before the next fuel allowance season as it is a payment which should be included.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42990/26]

1212. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection the way medical negligence or catastrophic personal injury awards are treated as assessable savings or means by his Department and State agencies under his Department’s remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43001/26]

1213. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update regarding a request for review of DCA application in respect of a person (details supplied). [43093/26]

1214. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider adding disability recipients to the annual €2,000 lump sum payment in Budget 2027; and if he will make a permanent cost of disability payment to protect vulnerable people from poverty. [43096/26]