Parliamentary questions

567. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps to be taken to register a birth (details supplied) [69790/25]

568. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the case of a person (details supplied); if, in view of their circumstances, arrears will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70006/25]

569. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Social Protection if a condition (details supplied) would qualify a person for a blind pension. [70053/25]

570. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason self-employed workers who pay PRSI, when they get sick, have no access to income supports, despite working and paying taxes; if this anomaly will be examined; if illness benefit will be extended to the self-employed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70098/25]

571. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason people who are means tested for carer’s allowance are then means tested for free legal aid when applying to the Circuit Court for the decision making representative order. [70121/25]

572. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on a disability allowance payment application for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70131/25]

573. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding any actions he is taking to reduce energy poverty for older people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70140/25]

574. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on a matter (details supplied). [70205/25]

575. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider changing the rules so that a person in receipt of death benefit is entitled to the living alone allowance upon reaching the age of 66. [70229/25]

576. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the average time over the past six years it has taken to produce a stamped final bill in his Department from the time when his Department has received government approval for the general scheme and the heads of a bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70280/25]

577. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made in relation to carers allowance for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70293/25]

578. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide a schedule of all funding and grant aid provided by heading and subhead to Kildare, Wicklow and Meath local authorities in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025; the amount returned and or not expended over the same period. [70316/25]

579. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the timeline for decisions on a cost of disability payment within the expenditure framework for 2026 and 2027. [70985/25]

580. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the timeline for decisions on a cost of disability payment within the expenditure framework for 2026 and 2027. [70986/25]

355. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will instruct officials in his Department to use more personal and dignified language in correspondences with pensioners in receipt of the increase for 'qualified adult' as some recipients spouses may find being referred to as a “dependent” undignified and demeaning; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68539/25]

356. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people in receipt of maternity benefit each year since 2020 [68645/25]

357. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of companies and employees, by band of number of employees and subsidy level, availing of the wage subsidy scheme; the highest number of employees for which a single employer is receiving wage subsidy payments; the mean and median number of employees per employer in receipt of wage subsidy payments, in tabular form; and if …

358. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide by sector and location (to local authority level), the highest, lowest, and mean total subsidy receipts; and the total number of employees for which subsidy payments are made, for employers in receipt of the wage subsidy scheme, in tabular form. [68694/25]

359. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection the name of the 20 employers who employ the highest number of employees, for which they are in receipt of wage subsidy payments, in tabular form. [68695/25]

360. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection to address concerns that the auto-enrolment process will undermine private company pensions by forcing private pension employees to pay 2% and the employer 1.5% which is more than the State auto enrolment contribution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68950/25]

361. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 415 of 27 November 2025, if he will clarify a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68958/25]

362. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on an exceptional needs payment (details supplied). [68962/25]

160. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount the Government has spent on the school meals programme, by year from 2019 to date in 2025; in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68199/25]

161. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection the main providers of the school meals programme; the way in which providers are contracted; the way in which they apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68200/25]

162. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has given consideration to local providers in the school meals programme; if the Government advertises in local media for food suppliers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68201/25]