Questions

617. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if a rural resident in their early 30s, who has completed a Tús placement and is not a qualifying farmer or fisher can currently access the RSS under any existing provision; if not, if he will consider extending the Rural Dweller Pilot to younger rural residents who have completed Tús, particularly where a recognised community organisation can demons…

777. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection the total funding allocated to the work and access scheme for the financial years 2024, 2025 and 2026; the actual amount of funding drawn down or expended to date under the scheme; the total number of applications received for the work and access scheme since its commencement; the number of applications that have been approved, refused, and are curren…

778. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection the average processing time from the date of submission to a final decision for applications under the work and access scheme; the measures being taken to streamline the application workflow; the steps being taken to reduce any undue administrative or financial burdens placed on disabled applicants and employers during the application process; if a dedi…

463. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide details of all grant schemes currently available through his Department for which individuals or community groups are eligible to apply; the purpose of each grant scheme; the eligibility criteria; the application process; the opening and closing dates for application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53424/26]

506. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he will review the eligibility criteria for the additional needs payment scheme to allow assistance to be provided in exceptional circumstances where a clinically prescribed item, such as a specialised car seat recommended by an occupational therapist, is not funded by the HSE or any other statutory scheme, leaving families without access to …

511. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications received, the number of appeals submitted, the number of those appeals that were successful, the number of recipients, the number of beneficiaries for the latest quarterly data, in schemes (details supplied), in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51076/26]

153. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if there has been engagement with the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment to examine how energy retrofit and solar supports can better assist older persons on fixed incomes, including those in receipt of the State pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29057/26]

1843. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on a scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23906/26]

1852. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has considered including home carers in the higher rate of fuel allowance during this fuel price crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24128/26]

1853. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to the fact that people on the job initiative scheme are not eligible to claim the fuel allowance, if this is under review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24158/26]

1854. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration has been given to providing fuel allowance or similar support for those on the job initiative scheme in view of significant increases in the cost of home heating; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24159/26]

1870. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if participants in JobBridge and JobPath accrued PRSI stamps while on these Schemes, if not, has the Department assessed the impact of this on participants, if credits could be given for time spent on said schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24838/26]

1872. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the current and upcoming measures being taken by his Department to support one-parent families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24972/26]

172. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of employers and employees, who have benefited from the wage subsidy scheme to support employment of those with disabilities for each year from 2016 to 2025 inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15504/26]

690. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the humanitarian assistance scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3606/26]

1539. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost to equalise the treatment of PRSI contributors with that of medical card holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74564/25]

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 he will make a state…

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]

405. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Social Protection to list all funding schemes, grant programmes and any other financial supports that are currently administered by his Department and its agencies; the expected launch and closing dates for applications for each scheme in 2026, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66936/25]

499. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department will consider an increase in the income threshold for participants on the farm assist scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65010/25]

347. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on the implementation of the cost of disability report recommendations, including any new measures being introduced in Budget 2026 to address the extra living costs faced by people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62188/25]

350. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection the provisions in Budget 2026 to address the cost of disability. [61904/25]

92. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of active participants in the fish assist scheme in each county, in tabular form; to consider an increase in the rate of payment under the fish assist scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50828/25]

114. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to increase the top-up payment for participants on CE, TÚS, and the rural social scheme, in recognition of the important work they do in local communities. [50748/25]