Parliamentary questions

861. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if Community Employment participants who earn over €20,000 per year due to dependent status are to be included the new auto-enrolment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46769/24]

862. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she agrees that those who have been paid a carer's allowance by the State should qualify for the contributory State pension without having to be a full-time carer for 20 years; if, when considering this, she will take into account that a carer does not control how long the person to whom they are providing care lives; and if she w…

863. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection why those in receipt of the State pension do not receive a Christmas bonus, and if she will consider a change to this. [46835/24]

864. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to abolish the means test for the carer’s allowance; the timeline for same; and whether this will include rate increases. [46836/24]

865. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection when the annual report under section 6 of the Gender Recognition Act for 2023 will be published. [46843/24]

866. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Social Protection to details how much training is provided to Departmental staff answering phone calls from the public; what that training consists of; if they are trained in means-testing and how different payments interact; the amount of time that elapses between the beginning of training and those staff members receiving calls from the public; t…

867. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has in place a time limit for the carrying out of investigations into overpayments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46888/24]

868. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) is eligible for fuel allowance given they are 82 years of age and require the support. [46909/24]

869. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection if a list will be provided of all persons appointed to State or semi-State boards under her remit since 1 November 2024. [46935/24]

870. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps being taken to ensure that individuals facing life-limiting illnesses are not burdened by unnecessary bureaucratic procedures when applying for financial assistance as in the case of a person (details supplied). [1004/25]

871. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider updating the rule regarding fuel allowance for those on benefit payments (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1023/25]

872. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an invalidity pension appeal by a person (details supplied). [1043/25]

873. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the application for the working family payment for persons (details supplied). [1074/25]

874. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an invalidity pension application by a person (details supplied). [1157/25]

875. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection when payments will recommence for a person (details supplied) further to the decision of the chief appeals officer regarding the unlawful disallowing of their claims for jobseeker's allowance and supplementary welfare in 2020, when they will receive the payments unlawfully withheld from them; the reasons for the continued delay in…

876. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for an invalidity pension by a person (details supplied) who has been waiting three years for a decision; the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1249/25]

877. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a fuel allowance application by a person (details supplied). [1251/25]

878. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review an aspect of the school meals scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1265/25]

879. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reasoning behind excluding people under the age of 66 years from receiving the living alone increase when they are receiving a widower’s pension which requires a person to be living alone; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1267/25]

880. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for carer’s allowance will be approved as a matter of urgency for a person (details supplied). [1377/25]

881. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons (details supplied) are in receipt of the household package and fuel allowance and electricity allowance. [1400/25]

882. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the payment of the grant that covers the provision of hair wigs for cancer and alopecia suffers, with a view to making the payment directly payable to the applicant. [1433/25]

883. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applicants for hair wigs, per county, for both successful and unsuccessful applications, for the years 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; and the total value of the approved applications, per year. [1434/25]

884. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the reviews carried out since 2022 of the grant amounts for hair wigs; and if the payable amount is set to increase in 2025. [1435/25]

885. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the role her Department played in setting the criteria for inclusion on the hair replacement products list; and the process for inclusion on the list, including the required qualifications. [1436/25]