Questions

605. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has engaged with Hedgerows Ireland and other environmental organisations regarding proposals for enhanced legislative protection of hedgerows; whether consideration is being given to incorporating such proposals into the National Nature Restoration Plan or forthcoming amendments to the Wildlife Acts. [74140…

606. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current status of the review of the Wildlife Acts; whether proposals to strengthen the statutory protection of mature, historic and ecologically significant hedgerows are being considered; whether his Department has examined the provisions of the Protection of Hedgerows Bill 2024; and the anticipated timeframe for bringing fo…

607. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when responsibility for the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011 will be transferred from the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to his Department. [74129/26]

608. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to include a Traveller identifier in homeless reports. [74128/26]

609. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 66731/26, whether his Department has assessed housing demand using the 2022 Census data; if so, the estimated level of housing demand identified; and if he will provide the figures in tabular form. [74120/26]

610. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has formally instructed local authorities to include specific targets for UD+ (wheelchair liveable) dwellings within their Housing Delivery Action Plans; whether annual and five-year targets for universally designed housing, including wheelchair liveable homes, are mandatory within the HDAP framework; if his Depar…

611. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to include targets for Traveller-specific accommodation in housing delivery action plans. [74133/26]

612. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm whether responsibility for the MUD Act and PSRA has transferred to his Department; and, if so, to confirm when he intends to initiate a review of the legislation underpinning both multiple unit developments and the property services regulatory authority. [74114/26]

613. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the assessment his Department has made of the impact of commercial rates on the viability of riding schools and equestrian centres, particularly in rural areas; whether his Department has engaged with representative bodies on the issue; the contribution of these facilities to equine participation, youth sport, disability inclusion …

614. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients who transferred from invalidity pension to State pension contributory and-or non-contributory for each of the last three years, in tabular form. [73364/26]

615. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients who transferred from Disability Allowance to State pension contributory and or non contributory for each of the past three years, in tabular form. [73362/26]

616. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of recipients of social protection payments; the total value of those payments in 2022; and best estimate for 2026 in County Laois. [73484/26]

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…

618. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will respond to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied) on 22 September 2026, requesting him to review arrangements for transferring private pension savings from Australia to Ireland for Irish citizens who have worked in Australia and have returned to reside and work in Ireland. [73540/26]

619. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the grades of staff within his Department that have the authority to issue penalty rate on receipt of social welfare payment where that person has failed to engage with Intreo employment services; and the number of sanctions issued for same in each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026. [73404/26]

620. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the changes to the seaweed harvesting disregard announced as part of budget 2027. [73454/26]

621. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm that community welfare officers are now described as designated persons; the reason this title change occurred; and who recommended it. [73584/26]

622. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated number of persons in receipt of the State pension who have a significant disability but who will not qualify for the new €500 cost of disability payment announced in Budget 2027; whether an assessment has been carried out of the additional disability-related costs faced by this cohort; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [736…

623. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department is reviewing the exclusion of pension-age persons with disabilities from the new €500 cost of disability payment announced in Budget 2027; the engagement that has taken place with disability advocacy organisations on this issue; whether any proposals are being considered to ensure future cost-of-disability supports are based on disa…

624. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of concerns that the new €500 cost of disability payment announced in Budget 2027 is limited to recipients of long-term disability payments and does not include people with significant disabilities who are in receipt of the State pension; whether his Department has examined the additional costs faced by disabled pensioners and their fa…

625. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person in receipt of the State pension, who has a diagnosed permanent disability such as dystonia, but who is not in receipt of disability allowance or another disability related social welfare payment, will be eligible for the new €500 cost of disability payment announced in Budget 2027; the eligibility criteria for this payment; whether pensio…

626. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether people with disabilities in employment or self-employment who are not receiving a qualifying social welfare payment will be eligible for the new €500 cost of disability payment; if not, whether consideration will be given to extending eligibility to recognise the additional costs of disability regardless of employment status. [73685/26]

627. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to the significant level of negative feedback in relation to the €3 increase to the living alone allowance announced in Budget 2027; and the actions he is taking to specifically support recipients of this payment in the context of a very high cost of living. [73734/26]

628. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made to date on the programme for Government commitment to explore extending access to illness benefit to self-employed workers in return for an increased PRSI contribution; whether his Department has completed an actuarial or financial assessment of the cost of introducing such a scheme; the estimated additional PRSI contribution that wou…

629. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of self-employed workers who have applied for basic supplementary welfare allowance and/or additional needs payments on the grounds that illness or injury has prevented them from working and earning an income, in each of the years 2022 to 2025 and to date in 2026, by year and payment type; the number of such applications approved and refused…