Questions

714. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection whether State and employer contributions towards the My Future Fund pension savings scheme will be reckonable as income for the purposes of determining eligibility for any other public services or schemes. [63244/25]

715. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection his views that it is appropriate that officials in his Department infer lack of qualifying disability from blank sections of disability allowance paperwork; and if he has satisfied himself that the systems in place to determine eligibility for the allowance are sufficiently accommodating of transient and conditional manifestations of disability…

716. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has prepared guidance for charities and non-profit organisations that are concerned their required contributions to autoenrollment pensions for their staff will place a financial burden that will lead to a reduction of services and staff layoffs; if specific guidance has been prepared; the advice he will offer to those organisations; an…

721. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on whether a revision of categories of PRSI contributions in respect of those who pay class K contributions is necessary, given the propensity for no material benefit to arise when a class K employee ceases employment before the statutory retirement age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63412/25]

726. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the financial supports available to parents caring for adult children suffering from severe drug addiction and related mental health issues, who are not living with them, but who are caring for them to the extent that they are unable to work full time, and are providing them with significant financial support; the level of funding his Department provide…

349. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Questions Nos.1151 and 1152 of 4 November 2025, to confirm that there is no strategic policy in place at Departmental level to bring down household costs and environmental impact of households benefitting from the additional needs payment for the purchase of white goods, by promoting the purchase of goods with better en…

1148. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the decision making process on setting the limit on the length of time a person can work while been in receipt of carer’s allowance or carer’s benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57777/25]

1150. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm if increased PRSI contributions for the self-employed to allow them to avail of social welfare entitlements, such as illness benefits, has been included in Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57797/25]

1151. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the details of any legislation, circular or regulation limiting the approval of the exceptional needs payment for household goods to entry-level items in terms of cost (details supplied); whether his Department considers the life cycle costs, for instance the savings arising from the durability or energy efficiency of goods with a higher upfro…

1152. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the data that is recorded on household goods purchased using the exceptional needs payment; and the estimated total annual value of these goods, by region and category. [57918/25]

101. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person in receipt of the new bereaved partners contributory pension can also claim an illness benefit, or any other social welfare payment, given the new payment is a contributory one; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52295/25]

107. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans to reform the transition process from domiciliary care allowance to disability allowance, with a view to reducing the financial hardship experienced by families who no longer qualify for support due to the means test applied to disability allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52469/25]

109. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider introducing a non-means-tested payment or transitional support for young persons with disabilities who are no longer eligible for domiciliary care allowance and do not qualify for disability allowance due to household means; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52471/25]

87. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans for phasing out the means test entirely for the carer’s allowance during the lifetime of this Government, as per the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51028/25]

97. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of the fact that when custody is split between two separated or divorced co-parents, there is no mechanism by which both co-parents may each receive half of the children's allowance and the children's allowance instead universally goes to the mother regardless of circumstances; if he is aware of the financial hardship this can incur on…

121. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of extending illness benefit to the self-employed; the estimated increase in PRSI rates which would be required to meet this cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50441/25]

125. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on the report on benchmarking and indexing working age social protection rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50573/25]

147. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to consider removing the means test for fuel allowance for those over 70 and in receipt of qualifying payments and meeting all other necessary criteria; the cost that would be involved in implementing such a change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50507/25]

166. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made on introducing a new working age payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50697/25]

308. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether current social welfare rates are meeting the minimum essential standard of living in light of inflation and rising housing, energy and food costs; the revisions being planned in Budget 2026 to address adequacy concerns; the means by which the Department ensures that vulnerable households are protected from falling below subsistence thresholds; a…

94. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2026, if the maximum rate of disability allowance were increased to €258.50 per week; if the maximum rate of State pension (contributory) were increased to €315 per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50725/25]

95. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection pursuant to the Programme for Government, the status of plans to reform the disability allowance payment; his plans to remove the means test for disability allowance payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50763/25]

96. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection if he plans to increase the wage subsidy scheme rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50854/25]

419. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection to consider increasing the fuel allowance thresholds for those in receipt of the contributory State pension and the non-contributory State pension in advance of Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50359/25]

732. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will update the operational guidance for the additional needs payment to explicitly include emergency veterinary expenses for accredited assistance dogs; if he will publish claim statistics and outcomes for 2024 and to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47927/25]