249. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to increase the weekly rate of carer's allowance and carer's benefit to €325 to recognise the additional cost of providing full-time care in a cost of living crisis. [65994/26]
Parliamentary questions
Questions
TDs ask ministers questions to get answers on the record, most of them in writing. Here is every one asked in the 34th Dáil, by the department it went to and the subject heading it was filed under. How questions work
Which departments get asked most
Department names as the record prints them. Some changed in June 2025.
All 20 departments
| Department | Questions | Oral | Written |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health | 27,342 | 145 | 27,197 |
| Education | 13,896 | 145 | 13,751 |
| Transport | 11,008 | 139 | 10,869 |
| Justice | 9,783 | 135 | 9,648 |
| Housing | 9,020 | 160 | 8,860 |
| Children | 8,676 | 129 | 8,547 |
| Finance | 5,833 | 153 | 5,680 |
| Social | 5,830 | 135 | 5,695 |
| Agriculture | 4,888 | 136 | 4,752 |
| Enterprise | 3,878 | 139 | 3,739 |
| Foreign | 3,856 | 190 | 3,666 |
| Climate | 3,825 | 114 | 3,711 |
| Public Expenditure | 3,685 | 167 | 3,518 |
| Further and Higher Education | 3,394 | 127 | 3,267 |
| Taoiseach | 2,628 | 1,479 | 1,149 |
| Defence | 2,516 | 179 | 2,337 |
| Culture | 2,376 | 147 | 2,229 |
| Rural | 2,331 | 140 | 2,191 |
| Environment | 1,029 | 26 | 1,003 |
| Tourism | 703 | 31 | 672 |
What's being asked about lately
5 Oct 2026 to 3 Nov 2026
Browse the questions
126,497 questions, newest first.
250. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to address the shortfall in respite services, and the promised statutory home support scheme; and if there will be investment to meet demand and milage reimbursement for all home care workers. [65998/26]
251. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of the hardship caused when carers reach pension age and are in receipt of carer’s allowance; if he understands the impact that transitioning to half carers has on families; if he plans to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66097/26]
252. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department maintains a risk register; if so, if copies of the register since 2022 will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66071/26]
253. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications received by the Community Welfare Service for basic supplementary welfare allowance, for additional needs payments and for exceptional needs payments, at each office at which Community Welfare Services are provided, in each of the years 2024, 2025 and in the period 1 January 2026 to 1 July 2026; and the number of such applic…
254. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of jobseeker signing and certification appointments conducted in person at each Intreo centre and branch office in each of the years 2024, 2025 and in the period 1 January 2026 to 1 July 2026, in tabular form. [66045/26]
255. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of new claims for social welfare payments registered at each Intreo centre and branch office in each of the years 2024, 2025 and in the period 1 January 2026 to 1 July 2026, in tabular form. [66044/26]
256. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the timetable for the extension of online appointment booking for Public Services Card registration to all offices at which that service is provided; and the criteria applied in determining the order in which offices are brought onto that facility. [66054/26]
257. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff assigned to each Intreo Centre and Branch Office, expressed in whole-time equivalents and broken down by grade, at 31 December 2024, at 31 December 2025 and at 1 July 2026; and the number of vacant posts at each such office at 1 July 2026, in tabular form. [66053/26]
258. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the offices at which an appointment for Public Services Card registration may be booked online through MyWelfare.ie; the offices at which registration is available on a walk-in basis only; and the number of such appointments booked online in each of the years 2024 and 2025 and in the period 1 January 2026 to 1 July 2026, in tabular form. [66052/26]
259. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person is eligible for the widow's pension when there is a safety order in place at the time of the death of their spouse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66110/26]
260. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for a Public Services Card processed at each Intreo centre, branch office and dedicated PPSN and PSC centre in each of the years 2024, 2025 and in the period 1 January 2026 to 1 July 2026, in tabular form. [66050/26]
261. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person is eligible for the widows pension when there is a protection order in place at the time of the death of their spouse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66109/26]
262. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to allow for the purchase of AVCs or similar schemes as part of the auto enrolment pension scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66099/26]
263. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons aged between 60 and 65 years-of-age who are in receipt of full carer’s allowance, by year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66098/26]
264. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of a new online tool (details supplied) to assist people with income supports and information on same; if he could point to any available funding to maintain such an essential service, which is rapidly growing in it use to ensure it remains available to the public. [66129/26]
265. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline the financial supports currently available to assist low-income households with healthcare-related access costs, including travel and accommodation expenses associated with attending medical appointments or receiving treatment; if she will provide details of any eligibility criteria and application processes for such supports; if co…
266. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm the current status of a carer’s allowance application for a person (details supplied); when a decision is likely to be reached; and whether serious consideration will be given to the application due to the circumstances involved. [66201/26]
267. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm the current status of a carer’s allowance application for a person (details supplied); when a decision is likely to be reached; and whether serious consideration will be given to the application due to the circumstances involved. [66199/26]
268. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of households in Offaly consisting of a person aged over 70 who are entitled to claim the Household Benefits Package; the number currently receiving the payment; and the number not in receipt of the payment, in tabular form. [66245/26]
269. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of households in County Offaly that have become eligible for fuel allowance in 2026 as a result of the extension of eligibility to recipients of the working family payment; the total value of these fuel allowance payments made to date in 2026; and the projected full-year value of these payments in County Offaly, in tabular form. [66282/26…
270. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of fuel allowance recipients in County Offaly in each of the years 2021 to 2025 and to date in 2026, by the primary qualifying payment or scheme through which eligibility was established, in tabular form. [66280/26]
271. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of households in County Offaly that received fuel allowance under the national fuel scheme in each of the years 2021 to 2025 and to date in 2026; and the total value of payments made to recipients in County Offaly, by year, in tabular form. [66278/26]
272. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the remit of Operation Tombola; if it will be in operation this year; the start date; if an earlier start date will be considered; and the efficacy of this operation since 2020. [66009/26]
273. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department maintains a risk register; if so, if copies of the register since 2022 will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66070/26]