Parliamentary questions

1198. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for disability allowance made by people with dementia aged up to 66 years-of-age for each of the years 2021-2025 and to-date in 2026; the number of applications that were accepted, rejected and under review; the main reasons why those applications were rejected; and if he will make a statement on the ma…

1199. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No.362 of 2 December 2025, if he will review the case of a person (details supplied); if he will provide an update on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19922/26]

1200. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if the free travel pass can be extended to cover travel costs for persons who attend day care services provided by the HSE given that at present a daily charge exists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19981/26]

1201. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the names of external cleaning companies that have a contract with his Department to provide cleaning services within the Department to-date in 2026, in tabular form. [20033/26]

1202. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the qualifying criteria for the living alone allowance can be expanded so that a public sector pensioner (details supplied) who is ineligible for a qualifying payment may be considered eligible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20038/26]

1203. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection if there has been a change to the criteria recently in order for parents to be granted domiciliary care allowance for children who have specific needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20061/26]

1204. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of State pension recipients to date that have sought a review of their pension rate based on the new long-term carers contribution scheme; the number of these reviews that led to a higher payment of pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20118/26]

1205. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of current State pension recipients benefitted from the long-term carers contribution scheme; and the additional total cost to the State for allowing these contributions. [20119/26]

1206. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration has been given to increased support for individuals reliant on hearing aids under the treatment benefit scheme; in light of the high cost of equipment and the increasing cost of living; and the inability of many to meet such costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20127/26]

1207. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of deceased persons' estates from which his Department has sought repayment of social welfare payments, by payment type; the total value of repayments sought in each year for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20166/26]

1208. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the criteria and procedures used by his Department when deciding whether to seek recovery of funds from the estate of a deceased person who was in receipt of a means tested payment; the way in which consistency and fairness are ensured in these decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20167/26]

1209. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which the frequently of the entitlement to the State Pension Non Contributory is reviewed by his Department; whether annual reviews are carried out in all cases, particularly where an individual's income is affected by currency fluctuations arising from a United Kingdom pension; and if he will make a statement on the mat…

1210. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department collects or holds any data on whether the recovery of overpayments from estates disproportionately affects individuals who did not have children or who lived alone; and if not, whether the Department will conduct an assessment to ensure that recovery procedures operate equitably across all household types; an…

1211. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the maximum time period for which his Department may retrospectively seek repayment of social welfare overpayments from a deceased person's estate; whether his Department has considered introducing a statutory limitation period to ensure fairness and certainty for families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20170/26]

1212. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department is examining options to individualise disability allowance payment to ensure greater financial independence for persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20296/26]

1213. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has examined barriers to financial inclusion faced by recipients of disability allowance, including where the payment is not recognised for mortgages, pensions or saving schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20297/26]

1214. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has examined measures to protect entitlement to the free travel scheme for persons who lose eligibility for disability allowance due to changes in household means, including through marriage or cohabitation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20298/26]

1215. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will clarify whether a formal diagnosis is required for eligibility for domiciliary care allowance, in light of cases where applications have been refused on the basis of the absence of a diagnostic assessment, despite departmental guidance stating that DCA is awarded based on the level of care required rather than diagnosis;…

1216. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the means test for disability allowance in cases where the applicant is cohabiting or married, given that a partner's full time wages are fully assessed with no income disregard; if he will address the financial hardship this creates for couples where one partner has a disability and loses their payment as a resul…

1217. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount of carbon that will be emitted on all transport and related actions undertaken by him and all members of his staff during their St Patrick’s Day trips in 2026. [20615/26]

1218. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount of carbon that will be emitted on all transport and related actions undertaken by all Junior Ministers in his Department and their members of staff during their St Patrick’s Day trips in 2026. [20633/26]

1219. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has paid to offset any of the carbon emitted due to St Patrick’s Day trips in 2026; and the amount paid. [20652/26]

1220. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount of carbon that has been emitted by transport used by him, the Junior Ministers in his Department, and their staff for each of the past five years; if he has paid to offset any of the carbon emitted because of transport; and the amount paid in each year. [20670/26]

1221. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if he can outline the legislative basis that requires in-person attendance for the collection of jobseekers benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20688/26]

1222. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to a situation (details supplied); if an exception can be made in relation to the requirement of in-person collection of jobseekers payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20689/26]