Parliamentary questions

311. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount of funding paid to applicants to 21 February 2025 under the current humanitarian scheme (section 1) in the aftermath of storm Éowyn in counties Leitrim and Sligo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8796/25]

312. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to review a partial capacity benefit appeal for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8832/25]

313. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to examine a contributory pension in respect of a person (details supplied) and address any discrepancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8835/25]

314. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection if he recognises the anomaly in the social welfare system which means that people in receipt of widow’s pension, and who are working, are penalised if they become ill and can no longer work, because they cannot claim illness benefit for example; if he intends to address this anomaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter.…

315. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the need for cross-departmental co-ordination with the Department for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and the Department for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to tackle the issues of barriers to employment for people with disabilities, and the practices of the civil service in dealing with disability benefits …

316. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection when the means testing for carer’s allowance will be abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8961/25]

187. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of international protection applicants who have received an exceptional needs payment in the past 12 months; the expenditure by his Department on international protection applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8209/25]

188. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the average processing time, by payment, in tabular form. [8228/25]

189. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of additional needs payments and the number disallowed in 2019 and in 2024, by category, in tabular form. [8229/25]

190. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the mean and maximum waiting times for additional needs payment, by county, in tabular form. [8230/25]

191. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to the recent news article regarding scandals surrounding a company (details supplied), given the fact that Tusla has announced that it has ended its cooperation with that company, if any Government bodies under his aegis are still using the services of the company; and if so, he will provide details o…

192. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the pension entitlements of a person that returned to work in the civil service at age 45 for 20 years and paid the B stamp for PRSI as they were not allowed to pay A stamp; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8276/25]

193. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if social media advertising in relation to black market activity is being monitored by social welfare inspectors in respect of hairdressers and beauticians working from their own homes who may also be in receipt of social welfare payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8309/25]

194. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection when the abolition of the means test for carers will occur as families are depending on this pre-election promise being fulfilled promptly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8339/25]

195. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures he is taking to reduce application waiting times for social welfare payments. [8360/25]

196. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection to consider having illness benefit payment available to self-employed individuals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8366/25]

197. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the assistance he is giving to schools under the school meals programme who are unable to secure a catering provider to roll out this programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8367/25]

198. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the average waiting time for an appeal for invalidity pension currently in the State; the average time for same in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8408/25]

199. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of exceptional needs payments paid in the last three years by area, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8409/25]

200. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider reopening community welfare offices and clinics throughout the State given the importance of this service to those that need it most; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8410/25]

201. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans to reform the application form for domiciliary care allowance; if he is aware of the concerns of support groups questioning the detail required and complex nature of the form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8411/25]

202. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Social Protection the timeline for the implementation of the working age payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8437/25]

203. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for an urgent needs payments in Kerry, by reason, in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, respectively, in tabular form. [8531/25]

204. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection for social protection to report on the rural social scheme; how many people access this scheme per county; what is the level of payment, broken down per county, in each of the years 2020 to 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8532/25]

205. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that capital value of land is reckonable for some means tested social welfare, i.e. jobseeker's allowance, and not for other means tested social welfare payments, i.e., State pension (non-contributory); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8539/25]