Parliamentary questions

101. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures he has taken to ensure storm readiness and to support those impacted by storms given the recent issues that arose in the aftermath of storm Éowyn. [8361/25]

102. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will report on his Department’s humanitarian assistance for those impacted by storm Éowyn in Cavan/Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8463/25]

103. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on the roll-out of the newborn baby grants scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8596/25]

104. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection when the draft Bill will be finalised to advance the entitlement of unmarried cohabitants to the widows, widowers or surviving civil partner’s contributory pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8368/25]

105. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to concerns related to the quality and nutritional value of some of the food provided under the hot school meals programme; if he proposes to create guidelines regarding standards and nutritional requirements for service providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8484/25]

106. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider front-loading the promised removal of the means test for carers in order that the means test is entirely abolished in Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8264/25]

107. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection when the means test for the carer’s allowance will be removed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8605/25]

108. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the renewal of public services cards needs to be done in person and no longer via phone or online; if he will consider facilitating online or over the phone renewals for public service cards, given the challenges this poses for anyone with reduced mobility or for elderly people; and if he will make a statement on the m…

109. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount paid out in fraudulent pandemic unemployment payment payments since the start of the Covid pandemic. [7722/25]

110. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on the reasonable accommodation fund and the disability awareness support scheme; if there are future plans for the expansion of these schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6982/25]

111. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of newborn baby grants that have now been made to parents in Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8129/25]

112. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection how he plans to deal with the very slow delivery of reimbursements from the humanitarian assistance scheme despite saying at the beginning it would take mere days. [7935/25]

113. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection when the carer's allowance means-test will be scrapped. [6763/25]

114. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Social Protection how the number of appeals in relation to disability payments compares to appeals for other social protection payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8431/25]

115. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans for the further extension of hot school meals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8385/25]

116. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the efforts the Government is taking to assist victims of recent extreme weather events in Kerry, such as the extreme flooding in November 2024 and the more recent storm Éowyn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8530/25]

117. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason an individual who is currently receiving carer’s allowance and a child increase for two children will now be dropped down to the half-rate carer’s allowance and their child increase taken away once they go on the maternity benefit; if he can justify a reported net loss of €230 a week and €8,050 over the 35-week period while …

118. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection his proposals to ensure that part-time workers unable to submit jobseeker’s allowance declarations in emergency circumstances do not see payments delayed, as occurred recently during storm Éowyn. [8620/25]

119. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection whether consideration is being given to doubling the training and development grant associated for each community employment participant, given the general increase in cost of materials and services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6764/25]

120. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the Programme for Government commitment to roll out hot school meals to all secondary schools; when the first phase will be delivered; the schools that will be included; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8318/25]

121. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection when changes to the rural social scheme will be enacted to enable participants of the scheme to sign contracts for three years instead of one year; and if he will provide an update on the implementation of the report on the review of the rural social scheme. [8604/25]

122. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications in total for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) made in 2024; the number granted at first instance; the number granted at appeal; if he is satisfied with the criteria used for determining the grant of DCA at first instance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8528/25]

123. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has considered additional staffing given increased applications for additional needs payments. [8364/25]

124. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on the interdepartmental working group to examine and review the system of means testing for carer's payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7673/25]

125. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will give consideration to the provision of foster carers with a State pension as per the Programme for Government Commitment; when he expects to have made a decision on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8527/25]