Parliamentary questions

625. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a school in Cork (details supplied) is experiencing a delay in having their school meals rolled out; if the timeline will be reviewed considering that the school is one of the only ones in the area without a school hot meal in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71722/25]

626. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has received any complaints from schools or parents in relation to the hot school meals programme; the approximate number of complaints received; if he will provide a general summary of the concerns and issues raised; if specific concerns have been raised in relation to the nutritional value of meals; and if he…

627. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the names of all suppliers currently involved in the delivery of hot school meals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71742/25]

628. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the types of businesses providing hot school meals and the flexibility that is allowed under the procurement guidelines; if local restaurants and supermarkets are providing hot school meals as well as larger national providers; if the preference is for locally sourced meals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71733/…

629. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection if Meals on Wheels are being utilised to deliver hot school meals in rural communities that are not being catered for by larger providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71734/25]

630. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has received the report in relation to the nutritional standards for school meals; if this report has examined the menus being offered by suppliers; if it has identified significant variances in terms of meal quality between suppliers; when he intends to publish the report and its recommendations; and if he will make a sta…

631. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection if all primary schools nationwide are now in receipt of hot school meals; the overall number of schools now receiving a hot school meal; the number of primary schools who are not yet receiving a hot school meal and the reasons for this; the total number of suppliers providing hot school meals nationwide; the total number of pupi…

632. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps his Department is taking to address food waste under the hot school meals programme; his views on whether this is a widespread issue with the programme; the specific changes that have been introduced to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71737/25]

633. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection if recyclable packaging is being used in the provision of all hot school meals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71738/25]

634. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people on a long-term unemployment payment who received a Christmas bonus payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71739/25]

635. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people who have applied for and availed of pay related benefit, by county to date; the average payment rate under the scheme to dater; the average duration of claims to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71740/25]

636. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress that has been made in relation to the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025 – 2030, which commits to establish a strategic focus network on the cost of disability; if this group has been established; the Departments and agencies involved; the number of meetings held to date; if people with disabili…

637. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the monetary deduction an employee on the average industrial wage will see in their pay packet in January for their contribution to auto enrolment; if the value of the minimum wage increase for low paid workers will offset the contribution for auto enrolment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71744/25]

638. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection if there will be a user friendly online system where employees can view their auto enrolment pot growing; if this will take account of investment performance or just the employer, employee and State contribution; his views on whether this will be an important tool so that employees can see and clearly understand the benefits of …

639. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people who have had the penalty rate of €90 imposed on their jobseeker’s payment for failure to engage with activation services since it was introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71746/25]

640. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of newborn grants provided, by county since the introduction of the grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71747/25]

641. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people in receipt of a widows pension who are under age 66; the estimated cost of allowing persons in receipt of widow’s pensions to access illness benefit in the event that they get sick at work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71748/25]

642. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection when he plans to publish draft proposals for consultation on the new working age payment which will ensure that inconsistencies within the social welfare system which disincentivise work are removed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71749/25]

643. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people who have availed of parents benefit; the breakdown of the number of mothers and the number of fathers who have availed of parent’s benefit; his views on whether further steps can be taken to encourage greater uptake of parent’s benefit; the position in relation to pay related parents benefit in each of the y…

644. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Social Protection if informal non-cohabitant financial assistance that does not constitute income for the recipient is assessed as part of the means test for the State pension (non-contributory); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71809/25]

645. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection when employees from a facility (details supplied) in County Kerry will receive redundancy payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71813/25]

646. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will investigate the criteria applied to applications for carer's benefit (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71817/25]

647. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person in receipt of illness benefit is allowed to withdraw savings from their business account to their personal account to pay for long-term illness without this having an impact on their of social welfare receipts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71822/25]

648. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection to reassess an application for additional needs payment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71990/25]

649. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if the widows pension will be approved as a matter of urgency for a person (details supplied). [72016/25]