Parliamentary questions

44. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he intends to ensure that any disregards, means testing and income thresholds for secondary benefits including back- to-school clothing and footwear allowance, and national childcare scheme, are automatically raised in line with any core social welfare payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15655/26]

45. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to increase the top-up payment for participants on community employment schemes, TÚS, and rural social schemes in recognition of the important work they do in local communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15020/26]

46. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he intends to publish the outcome of a review instituted by his Department on means testing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15654/26]

47. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are plans to update the emergency response payment, recognising that apartments are becoming a significant proportion of Irish dwellings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15602/26]

48. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the progress in extending illness benefit to the self-employed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14228/26]

49. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount his Department spent on child-related payments in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14958/26]

50. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review changes made to access to community welfare officers in light of the difficulties being experienced in accessing same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14227/26]

51. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the exclusion of self-employed workers from illness benefit, despite their payment of PRSI. [15646/26]

52. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will examine the need for set clinic times for the community welfare officer in Tubbercurry, County Sligo, given the difficulties faced by people seeking urgent assistance; if he will consider establishing a community welfare office in Ballymote, County Sligo, to ensure local access to supports for those without transport, fin…

53. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the work being done to provide a cost of disability payment in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15517/26]

54. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which he is enhancing application processes within his Department, and providing additional resources where necessary to ensure that individuals receive decisions on their applications in a timely manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15050/26]

55. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the action being taken by his Department, in liaison with other Government departments, to increase the level of participation in the workforce of those with disabilities, including the WSS, work and access, employability, workability and other relevant schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter…

56. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to the introduction of a support payment for those who are required to take leave due to a miscarriage or early pregnancy loss; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15524/26]

57. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which he will ensure that every effort is made to support individuals transition from welfare into further education/training and work, by examining the way in which to avoid a cliff-edge when people take up work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15022/26]

58. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Social Protection his Department’s current wait times on social welfare appeal decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15648/26]

59. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will amend the current weekly means limit for the increase for qualified adult allowance for recipients of the State pension and to increase the current means limit of €100 which has been in place since 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14636/26]

60. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to increase the numbers participating in the rural social scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14962/26]

61. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in County Mayo claiming disability allowance. [15140/26]

62. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review and change the current unfair means test calculation on certain State benefits, including the pension (non-contributory); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15590/26]

63. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the current average processing times for carer's allowance; the steps his Department is taking to reduce delays and barriers faced by applicants in applying for this payment; the plans in place to deal with increased applications post July 2026 when the latest changes to the carer's allowance scheme come into place; and if he wil…

64. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason pensions and social welfare payments cannot be paid together or at the same time, with the exception of carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14763/26]

65. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people in Dublin that are currently in receipt of disability allowance; if they will benefit from the planned new cost of disability payment; the work he is undertaking with regard to that proposed new payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14954/26]

66. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to publish a new employment strategy to help those most distant from the labour market into the workforce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15021/26]

67. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to review the changes to the qualifying criteria for the State pension (contributory) introduced in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14963/26]

68. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to deal with the pensions issues for former An Post and Eir workers. [15634/26]