Questions

655. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider for the upcoming Budget 2027 amending the living alone allowance scheme to include single (never married) retired civil and public servants employed prior to 1995, given that the current scheme discriminates against such employees; his views on whether these people are being discriminated against; if he will further consider the …

669. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding any review of the living alone allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37018/26]

670. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people in receipt of the living alone allowance in each of the years from 2020 to date in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37019/26]

671. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if any consideration has been given to amending the living alone allowance into a universal benefit for all those living alone over the age of 66; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37020/26]

672. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding any cost analysis carried out into expanding the living alone allowance into a universal benefit for all those living alone over the age of 66 [37021/26]

681. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2027 if the child support payment increased to €91 per week for children aged over 12 years-of-age and increased to €63 per week for children aged under 12 years-of-age. [37272/26]

751. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the impact of leave in addition to maternity leave [34182/26]

752. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to give favourable consideration to introducing a cost of disability payment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34230/26]

763. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he will include a target for the reduction of poverty among older people in the upcoming successor to the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025, given that no target was set for this in the existing policy, and that 30% of older people living alone, and 15% of all older people, are now at risk of poverty, according to recently published CSO-SILC …

764. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection If an examination of improvements to key ancillary benefits such as the fuel allowance, household benefits package and living alone allowance to support vulnerable groups has occurred as per the Programme for Government; if not, when this examination is to occur; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34905/26]

769. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress on the commitment to examine the modifications or changes that may be made to support women who currently fall outside the existing schemes to qualify for a State pension, as per the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35219/26]

4. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the commitment to introduce a cost-of-disability payment; the current status of policy development and implementation; the expected timelines for introduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31682/26]

338. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether consideration is being given to introducing a targeted or tiered increase in child benefit for low-income households or families with additional needs, including children with disabilities, in order to address persistent levels of child poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31683/26]

196. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason disabled entrepreneurs are excluded from the wage subsidy scheme. [30503/26]

148. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason people receiving the back-to-education allowance cannot earn any other income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28875/26]

327. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection the per diem rate of payment for electricity allowance for the years 2010 to 2026, in tabular form; the way this rate is calculated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23147/26]

329. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which an income of a second adult in a home where a person is in receipt of carer’s allowance is assessed even when they have no relationship with or provide financial support to the person being cared for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23252/26]

342. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department will provide the SWITCH model outputs used to cost any working family payment expansion options considered during Budget 2026, including threshold increases and rate increases considered but not implemented, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23384/26]

180. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 194 of 11 June 2025, 179 of 19 November 2025 and 1543 of 13 January 2026, if the review of means testing in the social protection system has now been completed; when the review commenced and the expected completion date; whether the review has specifically examined the weekly means limit of €100 for the increase f…

181. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has undertaken any analysis or costings in respect of increasing the weekly means limit of €100 for the increase for a qualified adult for recipients of the State pension; if so, the estimated full-year cost of increasing the limit to €120, €150 and €200 respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22763/26]

182. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection whether any proposals have been submitted to him, or are under consideration within his Department, to increase the weekly means limit of €100 for the increase for a qualified adult for recipients of the State pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22764/26]

183. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection the rationale for maintaining the weekly means limit of €100 for the increase for a qualified adult for State pension recipients at the same level since 2007, notwithstanding increases in wages, pensions and the cost of living over that period; whether any assessment has been carried out on the real-terms value of this threshold; and if he will make a s…

184. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of State pension (contributory) recipients who are in receipt of a reduced rate increase for a qualified adult due to the current €100 weekly means threshold; the number who do not qualify due to means exceeding €310; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22766/26]

185. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person's long term caring contributions and homemaker's credits can be used towards accessing the invalidity pension (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22768/26]

186. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Social Protection if a non-contributory pension case (details supplied) will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22862/26]