Questions

33. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the new working age payment. [66686/26]

34. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he has assessed the adequacy of the fuel allowance for households that have no alternative to oil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67558/26]

35. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection the current refusal rates for first-time applications for carer's allowance, domiciliary care allowance and disability allowance; the percentage subsequently overturned on review or appeal; the current average processing time for first-time applications of these three payments; the current average processing time for a review and/or appeal; and the…

36. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection if he intends to increase the Working Family Payment in the coming months. [67520/26]

37. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Social Protection when he will introduce a cost of disability payment. [66484/26]

38. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider, as part of Budget 2027, extending eligibility for Illness Benefit to self-employed workers who are unable to work due to illness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66646/26]

39. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will remove the means test for Carer's Allowance. [66588/26]

40. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will report on the work of the General Register Office regarding the development of a process to recognise early pregnancy loss. [67537/26]

41. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will grant full rate carer’s allowance to applicants in receipt of other social protection payments. [67665/26]

42. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration has been given to increasing the amount of time that an individual in receipt of disability allowance can spend outside the State from two weeks per year; and if consideration has been given to the level of surveillance and collection of personal data that is involved when a disability allowance recipient travels outside of the State…

43. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the Government commitment to examine the pension arrangements for foster carers; and whether additional proposals to support foster carers to access the State pension system are currently planned. [67628/26]

44. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he will consider reforming the Carer's Support Grant to provide for two qualifying dates and biannual payments or an alternative pro-rata entitlement for persons who commence or cease providing full-time care during the course of the year. [67619/26]

45. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the removal of the mean’s test for Carer’s Allowance as committed to in the Programme for Government. [66650/26]

46. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Social Protection if, in light of the extension of Fuel Allowance eligibility to recipients of the Working Family Payment from 1 January 2026, he will review the eligibility criteria for Fuel Allowance for persons in receipt of Carer's Allowance; whether he acknowledges that some carers with household incomes comparable to those of Working Family Payment recipients are…

47. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if open GoFundMe campaigns are assessed in additional needs payment applications; and to outline his Departments policy on this. [67323/26]

48. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of appeals received and decided by the Social Welfare Appeals Office in 2025 and to date in 2026; the proportion of original departmental decisions revised or overturned on appeal, broken down by scheme; the average time to decision for appeals determined summarily and by oral hearing respectively; and the number of appellants currently…

49. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason organisations (details supplied) remain in operation following the cessation of referrals to the JobPath programme in June 2022 and the closure of the JobPath service in June 2024, given that the programme had cost the State €344.6 million; the services these companies are currently providing; and the total cost to the State to date. [67187/26…

50. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department is currently making payments to organisations (details supplied), or to companies associated with the former JobPath programme, given that €344.6 million of public money had been spent on the programme; if so, the total amount paid to these companies to date, including payments made since the JobPath service ceased in June 2024; an…

51. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he is satisfied that the eligibility criteria for the rural social scheme continues to reflect the needs of rural communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67556/26]

52. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider allowing persons aged 66 years and over who continue to provide full-time care to retain a full-rate carer’s allowance alongside their State pension, rather than being restricted to a half-rate payment; and his views that a carer’s responsibilities and the cost of providing care do not reduce on reaching pension age. [63782/26]

53. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Social Protection the arrangements and supports available to families caring for a person with a disability who will require lifelong care, in circumstances where the principal family carer dies, becomes seriously ill or is otherwise no longer capable of providing that care; the advance planning mechanisms that are available to such families; whether his Department works …

54. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures being taken to ensure that families who may previously have been ineligible for carer’s allowance are aware of the significant increase in the income disregard introduced in July 2026; whether targeted communications are being issued to previous applicants; and if he will consider a further public information campaign on the revised elig…

55. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to further reform the means test for carer’s allowance, including whether he will consider its full abolition and the introduction of a non-means-tested family carer payment, in recognition of the fact that eligibility for support should reflect the significant caring responsibilities undertaken by full-time family carers. [63776/26]

56. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has reviewed the processes of eligibility assessments, appeals, and administration which disabled people must undergo to access supports. [67516/26]

57. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on any review carried out by his Department of social protection supports aimed at reducing energy poverty among older persons, people with disabilities and those living alone ahead of Budget 27; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67563/26]