Parliamentary questions

405. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether the Schools Procurement Unit maintains any audit or compliance process regarding tender evaluation procedures used by schools under the Hot School Meals Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36299/26]

406. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether external administration, consultancy, or accountancy companies are permitted to administer, manage, score, or participate in tender evaluations under the Hot School Meals Programme; and whether guidance exists governing such arrangements. [36300/26]

407. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department or the Schools Procurement Unit collects information regarding the composition of evaluation teams used by schools during Hot School Meals procurement competitions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36301/26]

408. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether food quality, taste assessment, nutritional presentation, or food sampling are formally weighted or scored within the current Hot School Meals tender evaluation framework; and if he will provide details of any mandatory assessment requirements. [36302/26]

409. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has undertaken any review of whether the current Hot School Meals procurement framework adequately assesses actual food quality delivered to children as distinct from written tender documentation. [36303/26]

410. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether any review has been undertaken into the governance and procurement integrity controls operating within the Hot School Meals Scheme since the expansion of the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36304/26]

411. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether the Office of Government Procurement has provided any guidance, observations, or recommendations to the Department or the Schools Procurement Unit concerning procurement compliance within the Hot School Meals Programme. [36305/26]

412. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide a copy of the recent correspondence issued by the Minister for Public Expenditure; National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to his Department referred to in media reports (details supplied); if he will provide details of the percentage reduction(s) in spending in his Department referenced in the correspondence; and if he…

413. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide a breakdown of spending on advertising which was funded or overseen by his Department, and bodies under its aegis, in each of the past five, including a breakdown by medium that is radio, television, social media, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36497/26]

114. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection what protections or supports are available to individuals who invested pension savings with a company (details supplied) and who now face significant financial losses arising from the company's liquidation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35695/26]

115. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection if hot school meal suppliers are paid in advance for the expected number of school meals they supply in a year to an individual school; whether, if children opt out of receiving the hot school meals, the cost of those meals is refunded to the Department; if data on the number of children opting out can be provided; and if he will ma…

116. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to strongly consider the appeal of a person (details supplied) against a determination of overpayment, noting the extenuating circumstances of the illness of a close family member; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35509/26]

117. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that when the option to defer the State pension until age 70 was introduced in 2024, whereby people could continue to pay PRSI towards the threshold required for a contributory pension, the rules related to the treatment benefit scheme (optical and dental) rules remain linked to the "relevant tax year" model, whic…

118. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on if and when negotiations will take place with branch managers of social protection offices regarding the payments for services, and remuneration of same. [35582/26]

119. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of control checks carried out at ports and airports by officials in his Department each year since 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35638/26]

120. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of social welfare recipients that have had payments stopped or reduced on foot of operations by social welfare inspectors at ports and airports each year since 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35639/26]

121. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the level of cooperation between his Department, An Garda Síochána, the port and airport authorities, and other State agencies to ensure that social welfare payments are not being claimed by persons outside the State who have no entitlement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35640/26]

122. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total value of social welfare overpayments made to persons no longer living in Ireland each year since 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35641/26]

123. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total savings to the State as a result of control checks carried out at ports and airports in each of the years 2020 to 2025, and to date in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35642/26]

124. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration was given to providing information about leaving school from Citizens Information services (details supplied) through ISL videos; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35768/26]

750. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if long Covid and associated incapacity to work is recognised by his Department as eligible grounds for invalidity pension. [33981/26]

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]

753. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he will review the current disability allowance means test and earnings thresholds; whether any assessment has been undertaken of the impact of these thresholds on persons with chronic illness or disabilities who are in employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34310/26]

754. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection for assistance regarding an exceptional needs payment to a person (details supplied). [34369/26]