Questions

140. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to extending the voucher scheme run by the Irish Sign Language (ISL) Interpreting Service and Citizens Information Board to persons under the age of 18, as the scheme is presently only available to ISL users over the age of 18; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50431/25]

85. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of employers that have availed of the wage subsidy scheme for the years 2020 to 2025 respectively; the number of people with disabilities who benefitted from this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50655/25]

86. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection further to the re-launch of the wage subsidy scheme this year, the number of employers in the community and voluntary sector and commercial State-sponsored sector have taken up the scheme; the number of people with disabilities who directly benefitted from the inclusion of these sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50656/25]

295. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department is currently carrying out a review of the work and access scheme; and if he is aware of a number of issues which have been flagged with regard to this scheme (details supplied). [49379/25]

729. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to an issue concerning the wage subsidy scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47818/25]

393. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection if compensation under the victim’s payment scheme paid out to persons resident in the State, as a result of the ‘troubles in the North’ is disregarded as means for the assessment of the disability allowance. [40289/25]

163. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications under humanitarian assistance scheme 1 and humanitarian assistance scheme two which have been refused, in tabular form. [39873/25]

152. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of employers claiming wage subsidy scheme funding under each of the three strands, for each year from 2020 to 2024; the number of participants for each strand for each year from 2020 to 2024; the total expenditure on wage subsidy scheme in each year from 2020 to 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36317/25]

506. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection if parents of Irish babies born through surrogacy can avail of the newborn baby grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35206/25]

573. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number in receipt of the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance in 2024, disaggregated by rate of payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33918/25]

574. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the total administrative costs of the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33919/25]

589. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans for an awareness campaign for the household benefit package targeted towards persons aged over 70. [34263/25]

592. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 909 of 10 June 2025, if it is his intention to further extend a free travel companion pass to those holders of free travel pass who are single and widowed persons, who are aged under 70; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34321/25]

596. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection the income supports that are available for an employed person, also in receipt of disability allowance, but out of work due to illness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34382/25]

597. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection whether illness benefit is available to an employed person with a long-term illness, also in receipt of disability allowance, whilst on extended sick leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34383/25]

598. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department will consider a proposal to extend the child benefit payment for a number of months for families who lose a child; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34435/25]

94. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to extend the free travel pass to children in receipt of domiciliary care allowance; the number of children who would benefit; the estimated cost of this extension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32745/25]

180. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider altering the criteria for the means test for fuel allowance to allow a greater income threshold for those living alone considering the fixed cost of maintaining a household; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30738/25]

205. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the first- and full-year cost of expanding the free travel scheme to include those in receipt of domiciliary care allowance. [31198/25]

875. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if he intends to reopen the diet supplement for new applicants who for medical reasons require gluten-free, low-lactose, milk-free, high-protein, high-calorie, or altered consistency diets; and the number of individuals estimated to require such diets and would satisfy the conditions for the scheme but are not in receipt as a result of the scheme …

950. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on the reintroduction of the ‘diet supplement’ payment for new applicants which was a payment to help with the cost of a special diet prescribed by one’s doctor or hospital consultant (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30416/25]

302. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection if the homemaker's scheme will be extended to include access to free dental acre, eye tests and GP care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22687/25]

111. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider removing the means test for the fuel allowance for individuals aged 70 and over, this will also make them eligible for free home energy upgrades (warmer homes scheme), from which they are currently excluded, allowing all elderly citizens to live more comfortably in their own homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. …

122. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline if he is considering any revisions to the humanitarian assistance scheme at present, or the possible introduction of additional support measures for flood affected households, given the increasing regularity of severe weather events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21628/25]

123. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of organisations that have availed of the workplace adaptation and equipment grant when employing a person with a disability, in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21597/25]