Parliamentary questions

666. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the Bereaved Partner’s Pension Bill 2024; if he will commit to urgently progressing this legislation to give effect to the O’Meara judgment from January 2024; the timeline to publish the Bill; if he plans to act on the pre-legislative scrutiny recommendations of the Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Commu…

667. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on an invalidity pension application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2541/25]

668. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason domiciliary care allowance ceases at 16 years of age; if he will increase the age limit in line with child benefit due to the number of 16-year-olds not eligible for disability allowance who still have a condition requiring care by their parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2543/25]

669. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the timeframe for when the means tests will be removed for carer’s allowance; if there will be any change to the way carer’s allowance is taxed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2549/25]

670. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the timeline for legislation to be enacted on the Supreme Court’s judgement to the entitlement of an unmarried co-habitant to a widow’s, widower’s or surviving civil partner’s contributory pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2599/25]

671. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made in relation to a carer’s allowance application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2602/25]

672. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that the renewal of a public service card needs to be done in person and no longer via phone or online, appreciating the challenge this poses for elderly citizens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2637/25]

673. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm the status of illness benefit payments to a person (details supplied). [2668/25]

674. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made in relation to an invalidity pension appeal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2697/25]

675. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Social Protection if provision can be made under the additional needs payment to fund the emptying of septic tank systems until power is restored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2732/25]

676. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if parents are entitled to have information regarding where the ingredients are sourced for the school meals recently rolled out in primary schools in Kerry and throughout the country; if this information is available for each meal provided to school children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2734/25]

677. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Social Protection to investigate the amount of additional wastage caused by the free school meals, per person, per school and per county, in tabular form (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2745/25]

678. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will publish the Ministerial brief he received following the recent formation of the Government. [2768/25]

679. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide a review of the invalidity pension application of a person (details supplied). [2783/25]

680. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection to consider expanding the humanitarian assistance scheme to cover commercial, agricultural and small businesses who have suffered damage in the recent storms and the snow in early January 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2792/25]

681. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the terms of the widow's or widower's pension, particularly in respect of non-married or co-habiting couples, and the judgment of the Supreme Court on 22 January 2024; the expected timeline in terms of the legislative changes that are required in respect of this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2798…

682. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made in relation to an appeal against a refusal of disability allowance (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2825/25]

683. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the current quality standards for hot school lunches; and the way these standards are monitored and maintained. [2873/25]

684. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools under the hot meal programme currently; and the number of schools which have registered complaints with the quality of the food to the relevant office in his Department. [2874/25]

685. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Social Protection when he expects a decision will be made on an appeal for a domiciliary care allowance for a person (details supplied) who submitted the appeal in May 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2900/25]

686. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if disability allowance will be approved immediately for a person (details supplied); if an oral hearing will be arranged urgently as this would benefit her Department’s officials in understanding the condition of the applicant; and if he will expedite the process. [2912/25]

687. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Social Protection to ensure that the Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2024 is enacted without further delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2939/25]

688. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Social Protection if financial assistance is available to persons who rely on medical devices powered by electricity to purchase electricity generators as a back-up in case of a power outage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2947/25]

689. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if a healthy-meal approach is taken or nutritional experts consulted for the provision of hot meals in schools, which contain many additives, a prevalence of fructose and palm oil in their ingredients; if the nutritional value of the meals can be improved prior to a full roll out across the country; and if he will make a statem…

690. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide a schedule of special advisors attached to him, as of 29 January 2025; and the official grade and or title held by that special advisor. [3005/25]