Questions

1233. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Social Protection to clarify the precise timing at which an individual’s participation in a private pension scheme is recognised for the purposes of exemption from automatic enrolment; the date by which a first contribution must be made, through company payroll, in order for that individual to be excluded from automatic enrolment; and if he will make a statement on the …

1234. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Social Protection the procedures that will apply in cases where an employee and employer have already made contributions to a private pension scheme, but the employee is nonetheless automatically enrolled; the way in which contributions made under automatic enrolment will be treated; if refunds will be issued to the employee and employer; if so, the how and when; and if…

98. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will report on his Department’s engagement with employers and the SME sector in relation to the introduction of auto-enrolment in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57552/25]

528. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 253 of 8 October 2025, if charges under My Future Fund differ for participants who are actively contributing and for those who have ceased or paused contributions. [57126/25]

246. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection whether a person with a private non-workplace pension can opt-out of the six-month auto enrolment pension. [54346/25]

253. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline, separately, the fixed charge, the annual management charge, and the contribution charge that will apply to My Future Fund participants; to specify if and how much the three aforementioned charges differ for participants who will be actively contributing and those who will not; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53971/25…

375. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if a bereaved partner's pension application for a person (details supplied) will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53559/25]

102. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection to clarify when a person will stop receiving their widow's pension under the Social Welfare (Bereaved Partners and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025. [52305/25]

650. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to develop a pension solution for foster carers in recognition of the enormous contribution they make to vulnerable children in our society as committed in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51721/25]

666. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps he will take to ensure that workers subject to auto-enrolment for pensions will be entitled to make decisions about where their pension fund is invested; if there are ethical investment protocols; if workers will get to set the parameters of the way in which the investment is applied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52154/25]

667. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will ensure there is not an additional cost on charities from the pension auto-enrolment policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52155/25]

668. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will commit to safeguarding funding from central Government for charitable organisations and registered charities in relation to costs associated with the pension auto-enrolment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52156/25]

86. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of former An Post employees whose initial applications for pensions were refused in each of the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51086/25]

89. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the contributory pension entitlement of someone with fewer than 520 contributions; and to grant those recipients a pro rata pension. [50762/25]

90. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to develop a pension solution for foster carers, in recognition of the enormous contribution they make to vulnerable children in our society, as committed to in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50587/25]

84. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection if the planned auto-enrolment retirement savings scheme will be designed to favour environmental and socially ethical investment pathways; if he will ensure that participants will have the ability to choose portfolios that reflect personal values, including sustainability and social impact; if the scheme will offer full public transparency on asset …

417. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide details of the pension security for persons who remain at a disadvantage due to unpaid caring responsibilities; if his Department will carry out fresh analysis on the class and gender impacts of this feature of the social protection system; and if he will report on his stakeholder engagement in respect of same since. [50263/25]

1332. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of instances where large multinational employers have historically implemented a pension vesting policy whereby employees with less than five years of service that accrued a defined benefit pension entitlement have had this service disregarded for the purposes of calculating final pension entitlement at retirement today; the number …

1793. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection if budget 2026 will offer better pension security for foster carers so the years spent caring for children on behalf of the State are fully recognised, index-linking the foster care allowance to keep pace with rising costs and relieve financial pressure on carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41802/25]

1797. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Social Protection to intervene in relation to the pension entitlements of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41835/25]

1798. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the invalidity pension application for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41837/25]

1800. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if employers will be allowed to enrol higher rate taxpayers in a company pension scheme and other employees in My Future Fund; if so, if employees who move from My Future Fund to a company pension scheme (or vice versa) on a change in tax status, be allowed to transfer accrued funds to the new scheme; and if he will make a statement on the mat…

1801. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question 127 of 19 June 2025, the number of the estimated 200,000 higher rate taxpayers eligible for enrolment into My Future Fund that are projected to join the scheme when it goes live on 1 January 2026, (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41891/25]

1821. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an invalidity pension for a person (details supplied) will be approved immediately. [42234/25]

1823. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection when it will be possible for qualified cohabitants to apply for a bereaved partner’s pension, given that the Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 has now been signed into law by the President; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42318/25]