Questions

266. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport the reason the agreed pension increases for retired CIÉ pensioners have not yet been paid, given that Ministerial approval for the revised pension arrangements was reportedly granted in June 2026; whether the payment of these increases is contingent on the signing of the required Statutory Instrument; if so, the specific legal basis for this requirement; and t…

267. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport whether pensioners will receive arrears of the pension increases due from the date on which the agreement was approved by members in 2025; if not, the basis on which arrears are being excluded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73552/26]

268. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on the current status of the Statutory Instrument required to implement the agreed reforms to the CIÉ pension scheme; when he expects the Statutory Instrument to be signed and commenced; the reason for the delay in completing the process; and when approximately 2,000 affected CIÉ pensioners can expect to receive the pension increas…

642. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will examine the financial disadvantage faced by retired CIÉ pensioners who pay USC on their occupational pensions but do not have access to a range of supports available to State pension recipients, including the living alone increase and certain medical and household benefits; whether he considers this equitable; and if he will consider introdu…

488. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he has assessed the impact of long-term caring responsibilities on a person's entitlement to the State Pension (Contributory), particularly in the case of parents who have spent decades caring for a child with a disability. [71792/26]

489. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider the introduction of a dedicated pension entitlement or enhanced pension credit arrangement for parents who have provided lifelong care to a child with a disability (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71800/26]

490. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has examined the risk of income poverty among older parents who have provided lifelong care to children with disabilities and who subsequently reach pension age with insufficient pay related social insurance contributions to qualify for a full State Pension (Contributory). [71798/26]

491. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons currently benefiting from credited pay related social insurance contributions arising from caring responsibilities; and if he is considering expanding access to such credits for parents providing long-term care to adult children with disabilities. [71797/26]

492. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has undertaken a review of the adequacy of current pension arrangements for family carers, including the homemaker's scheme and other credited contribution mechanisms; and if these arrangements sufficiently protect those who have acted as full-time carers over many years. [71796/26]

493. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration is being given to providing additional pension protections for parents who have provided lifelong care to a son or daughter with a disability and who may have reduced pay related social insurance contribution records as a consequence of their caring responsibilities. [71795/26]

408. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to some individuals in receipt of invalidity pension that may be financially worse off by taking up limited part-time employment (for example, 5 hours per week), due to travel costs and potential impacts on their payment; the measures in place, or under consideration, to ensure that recipients are not financially disadva…

272. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the step-by-step process required for employees to obtain trustee signatures on pension claim forms. [38507/26]

273. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection whether all pension schemes require trustee sign-off, or if there are exemptions. [38508/26]

274. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the typical delays encountered by employees in securing trustee signatures and submitting completed forms. [38509/26]

275. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has assessed the impact of this requirement for trustee signatures on processing times for pension claims. [38510/26]

276. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will introduce measures, including digital authorisation or simplified procedures, to expedite the process required for employees to obtain trustee signatures on pension claim forms and reduce administrative burdens on employees. [38511/26]

752. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to provide dates (details supplied), in relation to the authorisation process for pension increases agreed by An Post and the trade unions over the period January 2021 – February 2026; the control he exercises over the discretion claimed by An Post around its pension scheme, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter…

613. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to examine when a decision will be made regarding a pension for a person (details supplied), which has been under review since 19 November 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44789/25]

310. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to provide an update on the approval process for the proposed 1.4% increase in pensions and deferred pensions for members of the an post superannuation scheme, as submitted by An Post on 26 January 2025; if he will confirm the current status of the business case submitted by An Post; the expected timefram…

15. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if he will increase funding to the CIS scheme substantially; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21100/25]

223. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update on the proposed 4% pension increase for members of the ESB defined benefit pension scheme, including whether the increase has been implemented; if not, the reasons for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12647/25]