Parliamentary questions

525. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of families who applied for the domiciliary care allowance for each of the years 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; the number of applications granted, refused; and the number of refusals that were subsequently overturned on appeal, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48754/26]

526. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection the current wait time for domiciliary care allowance appeals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48755/26]

527. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department is considering a review of how long-Covid is classified for social protection purposes, including whether it should be recognised as an occupational illness for healthcare workers; when any such review might take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48765/26]

528. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of Irish citizens that are receiving State pension contributory but are permanently based outside the State as of 22 June 2026, in tabular form. [48776/26]

529. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider extending eligibility for the back to school clothing and footwear allowance to all children in foster care, regardless of the assessed income of the foster household, in recognition of the additional supports required for children in care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48793/26]

530. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection whether schools operating the school meals scheme are expected to prevent invoicing for meals ordered for children who are unexpectedly absent; the authority the schools have to cancel meals on behalf of parents; whether schools can be held financially or administratively accountable for meals ordered through supplier systems, where…

531. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 307 of 25 September 2025, if the interdepartmental working group on non-binary gender has been established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48901/26]

532. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps being taken to address matters raised in a report (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49014/26]

533. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider an increase in the rate of carer’s allowance in Budget 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49031/26]

534. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection the total cost of engagement with a company (details supplied) in each of the years 2020 to 2025, across his Department, by project, year and value; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49099/26]

535. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if an increase in the rate of disability allowance is planned as part of Budget 2027; the level of any increase being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49156/26]

536. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 624 of 16 June 2026, to state how the 5,364 EU/EEA nationals and 2,606 nationals from other countries are entitled to disability allowance; are entitled to have been on it continuously for over five years; which such individuals are the subject of restrictions on their right to reside in Ireland,…

537. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection whether retired workers will be represented at an upcoming meeting of his European counterparts along with social partners, organised by his Department (details supplied), and in particular whether the Senior Citizens Parliament will be invited to participate. [49180/26]

538. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection whether retired workers will be represented at an upcoming meeting involving his European counterparts along with social partners (details supplied) and in particular whether the Senior Citizens Parliament will be invited to participate. [49181/26]

539. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on a carer's allowance application for a person (details supplied). [49185/26]

540. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection the guidance,or assistance that can be afforded to a school (details supplied) whereby they are having difficulty in securing a hot school meals provider. [49192/26]

541. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Social Protection whether consideration will be given in Budget 2027 to further supports for families of people with disabilities who are heavily reliant on private transport due to the lack of accessible public transport services in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49422/26]

542. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of cases in which Part 5 applications for the making of Decision Making Representation Orders under the Assisted Decision Making Acts have been provided with independent advocacy support from the National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities funded by Comhairle. [49485/26]

543. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on his Department’s priorities for Ireland’s EU Council Presidency. [49587/26]

544. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide figures of the cost overruns by his Department, relative to the budgeted amount in Budget 2026; the cost overruns by his Department, relative to the budgeted amount in Budget 2026 for each State Agency under the aegis of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49666/26]

545. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of disability allowance recipients currently subject to periodic entitlement reviews; the criteria used to determine the frequency of such reviews; whether consideration is given to the long-term or permanent nature of a person's medical condition when scheduling reviews; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49…

546. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of concerns among families of individuals with severe and enduring mental health conditions regarding repeated disability allowance reviews; whether his Department will examine ways to reduce the administrative burden on claimants whose conditions are unlikely to improve; and if he will make a statement on the matter.…

547. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has assessed the impact that repeated disability allowance reviews can have on claimants with severe mental health conditions and their carers; whether consideration is being given to introducing longer review periods for such cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49679/26]

548. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to examine a telephone allowance case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49754/26]

549. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider a submission from a representative social protection office (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49762/26]