Parliamentary questions

55. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which eligibility for occupational injuries recognition and related supports for healthcare workers with long Covid differs from eligibility for healthcare workers who have sustained other occupational injuries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2582/26]

56. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection his efforts to include all employers in the auto-enrolment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1779/26]

57. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the current average processing times for disability allowance and invalidity pension applications and appeals; the number of applicants currently waiting longer than six months for an initial decision; whether he accepts that prolonged delays are pushing people with disabilities into poverty and dependency on family members; if he wi…

58. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is a stipulation within the hot school meals programme requiring that only Irish-produced meat, poultry and dairy products be used in the provision of hot meals in Irish schools; if not, whether he will consider introducing such a requirement in order to support Irish farmers, ensure high food standards and promote sustainab…

59. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of employees in Cavan and Monaghan which have been auto enrolled for My Future Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2824/26]

60. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps being taken to ensure that disability supports and payments adequately meet the needs of people with disabilities, income adequacy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2677/26]

61. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress being made in reaching our 2030 goals in tackling child poverty. [2628/26]

62. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has any plans to review the one-payment per household rule for fuel allowance, whereby children on low incomes are forced to live at home due to the housing crisis and are refused support based on parental incomes, despite qualifying for the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2680/26]

63. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection the possible payment schemes available to older children or young adults that will enable them to stay in full time secondary education, who were never in care, but due to deaths or other circumstances do not have the financial support of parents, wider family or others; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2858/26]

64. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection the expanded services that will be provided by the An Post Network on behalf of his Department;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2791/26]

65. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of newborn baby grants which have been paid in Cavan and Monaghan in the first year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2825/26]

66. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection the reasons for not introducing an emergency winter payment for disabled people of €400, as sought by the Disability Federation of Ireland, the Irish Wheelchair Association and Access for All. [2581/26]

67. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to increase disability supports (details supplied). [2884/26]

68. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to remove the means test for carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1778/26]

69. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Social Protection when the means test for the carer’s allowance will be abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2322/26]

70. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people that were signed onto the auto-enrolment pension scheme as of 5 January 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2880/26]

71. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans to increase the qualifying income limits and funding amounts for the humanitarian assistance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2826/26]

72. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection when the review of means testing for qualifying allowances in the social protection system will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1243/26]

73. Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan asked the Minister for Social Protection the average time for a section 318 review to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1781/26]

74. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people in Mayo currently engaged with Intreo employment services; the steps his Department is taking to introduce new initiatives to support jobseekers in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2675/26]

75. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that the funding allocation to family carers and young carers has not increased in the 2026 Dormant Accounts Fund Action Plan compared to the previous year; if he will provide additional funding to return the family carer measure to €2.5 million as in the 2024 Action Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6…

76. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will report on the rollout of auto-enrolment pension scheme. [2892/26]

77. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has concerns about the quality of meals being provided under the hot school meals scheme; if he has concerns about the amount of food provided under the scheme being binned; if he has engaged with meal providers regarding this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2323/26]

78. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to increase the living alone allowance. [2901/26]

79. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the auto-enrolment pension scheme and the issues that have arisen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2859/26]