Parliamentary questions

440. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Social Protection the current processing times for disability allowance, carer’s allowance and domiciliary care allowance applications in County Laois; and the actions being taken to reduce delays for applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3141/26]

441. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Social Protection the initiatives underway to assist older people in County Laois in accessing pension entitlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3142/26]

442. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to examine a submission from a person (details supplied) to implement an emergency winter payment to offset the cost of disability in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3194/26]

443. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the case of a person (details supplied) in relation to a decision on jobseeker’s allowance claim; the current status of this review; the expected timeframe for a decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3277/26]

444. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of extending the domiciliary care allowance from 16 to 18 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3288/26]

445. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider the case of a student requiring access to the back-to-education allowance (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3313/26]

446. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection the details of all analysis his Department has carried out on the introduction of a permanent cost of disability support payment; and to provide an update on the progress his Department has made on introduction of such a payment. [3314/26]

103. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of the Government's commitment to introduce a cost of disability payment; the proposed timeline for its introduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2523/26]

104. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection the research, analysis, and impact assessments undertaken by his Department in developing proposals for a cost of disability payment; the estimated additional cost of living with a disability these considerations are based on; and if he will publish this information. [2524/26]

105. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection whether any proposed cost of disability payment will be universal or means-tested; how eligibility will be determined; and how the payment will interact with existing disability-related supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2525/26]

106. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection the engagement his Department has had with disability organisations and representative groups in relation to the introduction of a cost of disability payment; how the views of disabled people are being reflected in policy development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2526/26]

107. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he intends to review the classification of long-Covid for social protection purposes, including its recognition as an occupational injury for healthcare workers; the timeframe for any such review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2528/26]

108. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection if a breakdown can be provided for all payments of arrears; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2588/26]

109. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person who was wrongly advised to claim disability allowance and who has now applied for invalidity pension and has been refused due to insufficient PRSI contributions but would have had sufficient contributions at the time of application can have their claim assessed on the basis of the original application; and if he will …

110. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the entitlements to benefits without means testing survivors of the Hepatitis C scandal have; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2642/26]

111. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the application process for higher scales for administrative grades below the grade of assistant principal operated in his Department (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2658/26]

112. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he plans to enhance the farm assist and fish assist scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2841/26]

113. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will include seaweed harvesting for a bespoke social protection scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2842/26]

1506. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has examined the introduction of a dedicated support scheme for parents with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1840/26]

1507. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on the proposal that schools should have greater autonomy over the hot school meals programme, with any savings achieved through reduced waste retained at school level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2412/26]

1508. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the case of a persons request (details supplied) to receive their social insurance contribution record from Australia to assist in their application for invalidity pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73900/25]

1509. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider changing the rules of the back to education allowance, as it applies to further education and training, FET, courses so that individuals who were unable to complete their original FET course are given a second chance to receive an allowance payment if they start a new course of study; and if he will make a state…

1510. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Social Protection the Government’s position on proposals contained in the pensions authority’s recent consultation on PRSA investment rules; whether he has considered the potential impact that restricting direct property investment within personal retirement savings accounts will have on small pension savers who use such arrangements to invest pruden…

1511. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Social Protection if it is Government policy to support a balanced approach between small-scale pension investors, including self-directed PRSA holders investing in individual properties, and large institutional investors (vulture funds); and whether he has concerns that the investment restrictions under consideration by the pensions authority could …

1512. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection the statutory basis on which his Department requires rent supplement or supplementary welfare allowance applicants to submit property ownership documentation, including local property tax records, insurance policies, title deeds or mortgage statements; and to identify the relevant provisions of SI No. 412/2007 relied upon in t…