Parliamentary questions

1266. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a pension payment was stopped or reduced in the case of a person (details supplied); whether the Department will urgently review the case given that the individual is now left without income; whether any interim support can be provided pending review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43522/26]

1267. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to urgently examine a domiciliary care allowance case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43538/26]

1268. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the details on the total cost of providing translation and interpreter services to all recipients of social protection in each of the years from 2018 to 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form. [43564/26]

1269. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether any audits, inspections, compliance reviews or assurance exercises have been undertaken since the introduction of the hot school meals procurement framework to assess whether participating schools are retaining conflict-of-interest declarations, procurement records and supplier communications in accordance with public procur…

1270. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether the review currently being undertaken by the CORU-registered dietitian of the School Meals Programme includes an assessment of pupil meal uptake rates, food wastage, pupil and school satisfaction, meal acceptance, supplier compliance with nutritional standards and value for money; whether the findings will be published; when…

1271. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether unsuccessful suppliers under the hot school meals scheme have access to any formal review, reconsideration, complaints or appeals mechanism beyond raising queries with the contracting authority; whether any independent review mechanism exists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43626/26]

1272. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for the carer’s support grant and carer’s allowance currently awaiting decision; the average processing time; and any measures being taken to reduce delays. [43751/26]

1273. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection whether consideration is being given to extending eligibility for the fuel allowance to households experiencing high energy costs arising from disability-related needs. [43752/26]

1274. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures he is taking to ensure that employers are not enrolling employees into occupational pension schemes purely to avoid the minimum contribution rates under My Future Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43802/26]

1275. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will increase the living alone allowance in Budget 2027, in recognition of the increasing cost of living in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43815/26]

1276. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of proposals for a cost of disability payment; whether he intends to introduce such a payment in Budget 2027; the estimated timeline for implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43826/26]

1277. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full year costs if the back to school clothing and footwear allowance increased to €175 for children aged between 4-11 years and €305 for children aged over 12. [43845/26]

1278. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an ongoing review of the rate payable under the living alone allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43852/26]

1279. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of people in receipt of the living alone allowance, broken down by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43853/26]

1280. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the engagement he has had with a NGO or charity in relation to the rate payable under the living alone allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43854/26]

1281. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if the rate payable under the living alone allowance is under consideration in the context of budget negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43855/26]

1282. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures he is considering to address the sharp reduction in income experienced by many women when they commence maternity leave and move from employment earnings to the maximum maternity benefit payment of €299 per week; whether his Department has examined the introduction of a more comprehensive pay-related maternity benefi…

1283. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for the differential treatment between disability allowance and invalidity pension in respect of means testing of a partner’s income; whether consideration has been given to extending similar financial independence protections to disability allowance recipients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43899/26…

1284. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to an increase in the living alone allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43942/26]

1285. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline the eligibility criteria for the back to work enterprise allowance, including the requirement to be in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment. [43948/26]

1286. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the policy rationale for restricting access to the back to work enterprise allowance to individuals in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment, and excluding those signing for PRSI credits only. [43949/26]

1287. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that individuals who are unemployed and signing for PRSI credits, but who do not qualify for jobseeker’s payments due to means testing, are not eligible for the back to work enterprise allowance; and if he will address this gap. [43950/26]

1288. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has examined the impact of household means testing, particularly a spouse’s income, on access to activation supports such as the back to work enterprise allowance. [43951/26]

1289. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of individuals currently signing for PRSI credits who are not in receipt of a jobseeker’s payment due to means testing of household income. [43952/26]

1290. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for the back to work enterprise allowance, that were refused in each of the past five years on the basis that the applicant was not in receipt of a qualifying payment. [43953/26]