Questions

566. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the procedures in place to detect the use of forged or AI generated documents submitted in support of social welfare claims; whether his Department has experienced an increase in suspected fraud involving forged or AI generated documentation in the past three years; the number of cases referred to investigation annually since 2021; and if he will make a…

567. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of people who have been in receipt of jobseeker's allowance or jobseeker's benefit continuously since December 2019; the ages and geographical locations of these recipients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32228/26]

568. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of protected disclosures that have gone missing or have been compromised that have been submitted to his Department or State bodies that are responsible to his Department. [32295/26]

569. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff that are currently inactively employed by his Department or any organisation with responsibility to his Department. [32315/26]

570. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection for assistance in relation to an invalidity pension application for a person (details supplied). [32452/26]

571. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for jobseeker's allowance that were refused in 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form. [32821/26]

572. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a payment for a person (details supplied); if there is an update on a review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32850/26]

573. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the process for primary and secondary school teachers with temporary/substitute contracts to apply for jobseeker's benefit during the holiday periods where they do not receive payment from the Department of Education and Youth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32959/26]

574. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection to establish a system in which education sector workers who claim jobseeker's payment during the summer months, Christmas holidays, Easter holidays and mid-term breaks could apply for this benefit weeks in advance of said holidays, to facilitate their applications being processed prior to the break in payment; and if he will make a statement on the mat…

575. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection if a process will be considered where seasonal workers, including teachers with temporary contracts, can apply for jobseeker's benefit in advance of the summer, allowing their payment decision to be paid before their contract ends; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32961/26]

576. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of extending the fuel allowance to all those in receipt of the carer's allowance payment, where this is the only qualifying criteria to receive the fuel allowance. [32968/26]

577. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are any allowances, other than the carer's allowance, which require the recipient to work at least 35 hours per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32969/26]

578. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if assistance can be provided regarding a disability allowance application (details supplied). [32973/26]

579. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the Department's estimated proportion of an average household electricity and natural gas bill currently covered by the €1.15 per day allowance, using the most recent available national data sources; and if he will outline the methodology used to derive this estimate. [33019/26]

580. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated proportion of an average household electricity and natural gas bill covered by the allowance at the time of its introduction in 2013, and the equivalent estimated proportion in 2026; and if he will outline the basis for these estimates [33020/26]

581. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has utilised or considered data from the Central Statistics Office, Commission for Regulation of Utilities, or Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland in assessing the adequacy of the electricity and gas allowance; and if so, to provide details. [33021/26]

582. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether the electricity and natural gas allowance has been subject to a Value for Money or policy evaluation review since 2013, in line with the Public Spending Code; and if so, to provide the date and outcome of any such review. [33023/26]

583. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the policy rationale for maintaining a flat-rate cash allowance introduced in 2013 without periodic recalibration, and whether alternative models, including indexed or usage-based supports, have been formally assessed. [33024/26]

584. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has undertaken any comparative analysis between increases in Fuel Allowance and the static electricity/gas allowance, including whether one scheme is intended to compensate for the other; and if he will provide details. [33025/26]

585. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether an impact assessment has been conducted on recipients of the Household Benefits Package who do not qualify for Fuel Allowance, and the extent to which these households may face a gap in energy support. [33026/26]

586. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether any specific proposals have been developed to revise the structure of the electricity and gas allowance, including seasonal weighting or indexation to energy prices; and if so, to outline the status of such proposals. [33027/26]

587. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether a formal review of the electricity and natural gas allowance will be completed in advance of Budget 2027, and if he will provide a defined timeline and scope for that review. [33028/26]

588. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection if assistance can be offered to the processing of an ARP application for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33040/26]

589. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider increasing the means-test threshold for the supplementary welfare allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33075/26]

590. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection to examine the case of an individual (details supplied) regarding a State Pension (non-contributory); if a senior official from his Department can engage with the family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33144/26]