Parliamentary questions

696. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of WTE community welfare officers based in Kildare as of 19 January 2026, in tabular form. [5839/26]

697. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of rent supplement, by band and the amount received by each recipient, in tabular form. [5843/26]

698. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of rent supplement payments made to applicants who pay rent above the rent limited for their county of residence but have been granted the rent supplement on discretionary grounds; the percentage of these payments which comprise of total rent payments; the average amount by which their monthly rents exceed the limit; the du…

699. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration is being given by his Department to increasing the upper age limit for domiciliary care allowance eligibility from 16 to 18 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5908/26]

700. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection to respond to correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5946/26]

701. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the review into the nutritional standards of the of the school meals programme has concluded; the outcomes of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6055/26]

702. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the metrics or KPIs currently in place to assess meal quality, student satisfaction, and effectiveness of the school meals programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6056/26]

703. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if any analysis has been undertaken to understand the causes of food waste under the school meals programme, given its implications for nutrition, public expenditure, and climate impact; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6057/26]

704. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection the improvements being introduced in regard to the carer’s allowance; when the means test will be abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6058/26]

705. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will report on the new national child poverty target, which he recently announced. [3793/26]

706. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider broadening the scope of Catherine's Law to cover all scholarships to third level education (details supplied); if he will provide clarity on how his Department distinguishes between the various scholarships for exemption; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6366/26]

707. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the winter supports currently available to people with disabilities; whether additional targeted measures are under consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6386/26]

708. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the rationale for the domiciliary care allowance ceasing when a child reaches 16 years-of-age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6436/26]

709. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has examined the impact on families of requiring children who turn 16 years to transition from domiciliary care allowance to disability allowance, including the need for a new medical assessment during a critical stage of secondary education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6437/26]

710. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he has considered extending eligibility for the domiciliary care allowance to age 18 years or for the duration of full-time secondary education, in line with other child related supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6438/26]

711. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the progress made towards a material reduction in rates of child poverty. [7091/26]

427. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if a domiciliary care allowance review for a mother in respect of their daughter (details supplied) has been lodged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5124/26]

428. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if supports will be given to a person who narrowly missed out on the main PRSI changes in January 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5209/26]

429. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department plans to bring forward proposals on a cost of disability payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5219/26]

430. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the proposals to extend a service (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5394/26]

431. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide a detailed breakdown of the full establishment costs of the auto-enrolment retirement savings system, including but not limited to legislative development, ICT systems, procurement, branding, public communications, and staffing costs; the projected total Exchequer cost over the first five and ten years of operation.; an…

432. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection whether any assessment has been carried out of the all-in economic cost of an individual auto-enrolment account, including indirect and non-member-borne costs funded by the Exchequer; if so, to publish same.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5404/26]

433. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the analysis which underpins public comparisons between the headline annual management charge of the auto-enrolment scheme and the charges applicable to individual private pension products; and whether such comparisons include regulatory, governance, and administrative costs borne by the State. [5405/26]

434. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he is satisfied that public commentary comparing auto-enrolment charges with private PRSAs reflects a like-for-like comparison of total costs; and if not, the steps which are being taken to ensure accuracy and transparency in public communications. [5406/26]

435. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the projected annual operating costs of the National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority, including staffing, governance, compliance, and outsourced services; and to confirm the way in which these costs will be funded. [5407/26]