Questions

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]

755. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding any mechanism in place within his Department that allows for civil servants to transfer on secondment to an equivalent role within the European Union, without negatively impacting their pension and other employment rights; his views on the merits of such a scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34430/26]

756. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will expedite an application for disability allowance for a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34495/26]

757. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Social Protection to engage in meaningful reform of the disability allowance means test (details supplied), especially in relation to how a partner's income is assessed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34502/26]

758. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on an appeal for supplementary welfare allowance for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34666/26]

759. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the refusal of an application for the working family payment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34753/26]

760. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025 commitment to finalise an approach for benchmarking pension payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34901/26]

761. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection whether the annual input to Cabinet which sets out the rate of pension payment calculated using the smoothed earnings benchmark approach will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34902/26]

762. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of the Department's report on the benchmarking and indexing of working-age social protection rates; when it is expected to be finalised and published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34903/26]

763. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he will include a target for the reduction of poverty among older people in the upcoming successor to the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025, given that no target was set for this in the existing policy, and that 30% of older people living alone, and 15% of all older people, are now at risk of poverty, according to recently published CSO-SILC …

764. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection If an examination of improvements to key ancillary benefits such as the fuel allowance, household benefits package and living alone allowance to support vulnerable groups has occurred as per the Programme for Government; if not, when this examination is to occur; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34905/26]

765. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if a constituent (details supplied) is forbidden from getting a second Community Welfare Payment when moving into a council house, 14-years after getting a payment when moving into their previous council house; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35053/26]

766. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection the basis on which the current levy arising from public expenditure overruns is being calculated and applied to his Department’s Vote; whether any categories of expenditure, including pay, pensions or staffing-related costs, are exempt from the levy within his Department; and if he will provide a breakdown of the areas against which the levy is being a…

767. Deputy Máire Devine asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline any supports available to a person (details supplied) who is currently undergoing chemotherapy following a breast cancer diagnosis, and experiencing significant financial hardship due to their ineligibility for illness benefit. [35140/26]

768. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the continued means testing of the carer's allowance, given that caring is a constant, full time role that does not operate on defined hours or shift patterns, and places significant mental, physical and emotional demands on carers; if he accepts that the current system does not adequately reflect the value of unpaid care work or the …

769. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress on the commitment to examine the modifications or changes that may be made to support women who currently fall outside the existing schemes to qualify for a State pension, as per the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35219/26]

770. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures in place to ensure that those who are in receipt of unemployment assistance payments are offered paths into training and employment. [35317/26]

771. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection the numbers in 2025 in receipt of unemployment assistance who refused or failed to attend meetings relating to employment or training, or refused training courses; the actions that were taken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35318/26]

772. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of centenarian bounties paid in each of the years from 2016 to 2025; the projections of the number of payments made in 2026 and in coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35319/26]

352. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection to carry out a review of the disallowance of fuel allowance for a person (details supplied). [33552/26]

353. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the total expenditure to date on the accommodation recognition payment scheme; the number of recipients currently in receipt of the payment; and the projected cost of the scheme to March 2027 under current policy. [33607/26]