Questions

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]

1223. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding his Department's policy on the electronic transfer of social welfare payments; the way in which this can be accommodated in a case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20690/26]

1224. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding any review of his Department's policy in relation to the electronic transfer of social welfare payments in place of in person attendance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20691/26]

1225. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review a decision on a carer's application in respect of a person (details supplied), in light of additional information that has been provided by the applicant's carer; if his Department will reconsider the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20747/26]

1226. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is satisfied by the adequacy of illness benefit in the context of the cost of living crisis; his views on reviewing its adequacy as income protection in high cost areas; and if he has corresponded with the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment about the adequacy of the five-day cap in place following a claim of statutory sick leave. [20…

1227. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection the current number of persons in receipt of the contributory and non-contributory pension; and the projected numbers for same in ten years' time, 20 years' time and 30 years' time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20814/26]

413. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 854 of 17 February 2026, the legal basis upon which home tutors engaged under the home tuition grant scheme are “classed as self-employed (PRSI Class S)” as a general position (details supplied); whether he will identify the employer in law for PRSI purposes in such cases; whether any administrative agreement or…

414. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review correspondence (details supplied); if he will provide an update on the person’s application; the timeframe for a payment to issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17985/26]

415. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 760 of 10 February 2026, if any internal briefing notes, guidance documents, policy papers, emails, memoranda or tracking systems exist within his Department concerning the enforcement, monitoring or recovery of retrospective PRSI liabilities arising from Scope decisions (details supplied); whether any records e…

416. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that jobseeker's allowance is means-tested for couples who are cohabiting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18059/26]

417. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has considered options to maintain insurability for PhD scholarship holders, such as PRSI credits, so that eligibility for jobseeker's allowance can be sought after State-supported doctoral study; the outcome of any such analysis; the timeframe for a decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18060/26]

418. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection the conditions for mutual recognition of pension contributions between Ireland and Canada; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18077/26]

419. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department plans to engage staff from the private sector who work in accountancy and corporate law firms to work in his Department during the course of the upcoming EU Presidency term; the terms under which such staff will be engaged; the number of staff his Department plans to hire; the measures planned to guard against potential conflicts of inter…

420. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a contributory pension (details supplied) is being reduced due to early teaching years of 1974-1978/1979 is being treated differently from all subsequent years of teaching contributions therefore creating a gap in the contribution record. [18158/26]

421. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection the average timeframe in 2025 for the finalisation of a Section 318 review under the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005. [18227/26]

192. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Social Protection to establish a funding scheme for Traveller liaison workers networks to be established in order to promote the employment of Travellers to specific employers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17245/26]

193. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Social Protection to hold further Traveller employment events, similar to Job Week 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17246/26]

194. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will examine the absence of dedicated pension provision for long-term foster carers who may have reduced capacity to build up contributory pensions due to their caring responsibilities (details supplied); and if he will introduce measures, including credited contributions or a specific pension scheme, to ensure that foster carers are not disadva…

195. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if carer’s allowance is an income or an allowance; if clarified as an income, the reason it is not subject to minimum wage legislation; or if clarified as an allowance the reason it is subject to tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17272/26]

196. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will report on the engagement of his Department with the project (details supplied) aimed at strengthening the role of civil society organisations which provide access to information, advice and active help (free legal aid) services to citizens with regards to their rights, with a view to creating a European network of citizens advice organisat…

197. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will report on the engagement of his Department, or the engagement of any agency under the aegis of his Department with the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) accreditation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17336/26]