Questions

405. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delay in commencing section 59 of the Civil Registration Act 2004, to provide for registration of decrees of divorce and of nullity by the Civil Registration Service; if there are inter-agency difficulties arising from the statutory designation of the Courts Service as the registrar in relation to registers to be established and maint…

406. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to urgently provide an update on the State Pension (Contributory) for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70253/26]

407. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the treatment of inherited capital in the means test for disability allowance where the recipient has a lifelong disability and the inheritance is intended to fund their long-term care and independent living; the number of recipients whose payment was reduced or ceased due to inherited capital in each of the past three years; and if s…

408. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on a State pension (contributory) application (details supplied) that has been pending for some time. [70201/26]

409. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection to intervene in a situation regarding an individual's (details supplied) carer's allowance. [70375/26]

410. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the proportion of the total social welfare overpayments raised in each of the years 2016 to 2025 that was attributable to proven fraud, customer error and official or administrative error respectively; and the monetary value associated with each category. [70352/26]

411. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the total value of social welfare overpayments that remained unrecovered at 31 December in each of the years 2016 to 2025 inclusive, in tabular form; and the amount of debt written off or deemed unrecoverable. [70351/26]

412. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 6110/26, to provide the actual outstanding social welfare overpayment debt balance owed to his Department at the end of each year from 2016 to 2025, inclusive; and the amount written off in each of those years. [70350/26]

413. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection if the fuel allowance payment for a person (details supplied) can be reinstated as soon as possible. [70334/26]

414. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection when the comprehensive review of means testing within the social protection system commenced; the status of that review; when he expects the review to be completed and its finding published; and the reasons for the length of time taken to complete the review. [70566/26]

415. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether consideration has been given to a waste collection support for State pensioners living alone, in view of annual minimum bin charges exceeding one week's pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70578/26]

416. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection if it is possible to introduce a reduced rate of employers' PRSI for employees under the age of 24, to incentivise the employment of young people. [70490/26]

417. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Social Protection if a comprehensive review of the social welfare system is to be carried out to ensure capacity for all requirements including migration reforms and to ensure fairness, equity and transparency. [69756/26]

109. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures his Department will take to ensure that people living with pulmonary fibrosis have access to appropriate financial supports, including supports with healthcare and household energy costs, given the financial hardship and risk of poverty experienced by many patients. [69019/26]

110. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department will examine whether appropriate supports are in place for cancer patients in view of the recent report by the Irish Cancer Society showing income loss and significant costs incurred by patients. [69097/26]

111. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person in County Kildare (details supplied) was refused back to education allowance. [69184/26]

112. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of fuel allowance aged 66 or over at the end of each of the years 2023, 2024 and 2025 and at the latest date available in 2026, by age band 66 to 69, 70 to 79 and 80 and over, in tabular form; the number of applications from persons aged 66 or over refused on means in each of those years; and the number of such refusals in whi…

113. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the fuel allowance weekly income limit for persons aged 66 or over by €25, €50 and €100 for a single person, with the corresponding increase for couples; and the estimated full-year cost of introducing a tapered rate of fuel allowance for persons whose means exceed the limit by up to €100 a week. [69198/26]

114. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of telephone support allowance; the expenditure on the allowance in each of the years 2021 to 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form; the number of recipients of the household benefits package aged 70 or over who do not receive telephone support allowance; and the estimated full-year cost of extending telephone support allo…

115. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has reviewed the requirement that a person receive both the living alone increase and fuel allowance to qualify for telephone support allowance; whether the weekly income limit for fuel allowance for persons aged 66 or over will be increased in line with any increase in the State pension, so that pension increases do not remove …

116. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review social welfare income and eligibility thresholds for people who are medically certified as unfit to work due to severe long-term illnesses, such as multiple sclerosis, with a view to ensuring they are not excluded from necessary financial supports. [69235/26]

117. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider introducing a permanent weekly cost of disability payment to assist people with disabilities in meeting unavoidable additional costs, including therapies, supplements, transport and specialist footwear. [69234/26]

118. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason habitual residency requirements are invoked for an Irish person working abroad and who has to return home at short notice due to illness or change of family circumstances pertaining to the returning person themselves or other family members and may delay processing and approval of a legitimate social protection claim. [69293/26]

487. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person who qualifies for the State Pension and continues to provide full-time care is only entitled to a half-rate carer’s allowance; and whether this arrangement will be reviewed, given that their caring responsibilities have not changed. [68035/26]

488. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for jobseeker's allowance and jobseeker's benefit that were refused at first decision in each of the past ten calendar years; the number of those refusals that were subsequently revised or overturned on review or appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68102/26]