Questions

1177. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the child benefit payment to €166 per month its previous peak level; and if he will provide a breakdown of the cost per additional €10 increase in the payment. [42060/26]

1178. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total amount spent by his Department on public procurement in 2025; to provide a breakdown, where available, by goods, services, works procurement expenditure, by expenditure procured directly by his Department and expenditure procured through central purchasing arrangements or frameworks [42176/26]

1179. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department is fully compliant with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Model Publication Scheme Guidance, issued under section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 2014, specifically the requirements under section D and section E (details supplied); to publish quarterly the contracts awarded above €25,000 (exclusive of VAT), incl…

1180. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a deciding officer will be assigned to a SCOPE investigation applied for by an person (details supplied); when will a decision be made in relation to this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42213/26]

1181. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection to review an overpayment claim regarding a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42239/26]

1182. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of bicycle shelters installed across the State by his Department on behalf of Government Departments, local authorities, and State agencies in each of the past five years; the total expenditure incurred in each year; the average cost per unit; and if he will provide a breakdown by Department, local authority and agency. [42266/26]

1183. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the total amount spent on IT systems and related projects by his Department and agencies under its remit in each of the past five years; to provide a detailed breakdown of all such projects, including original budget, final cost, and delivery timelines; the number and value of projects that exceeded their original budget or timeline; the number and t…

1184. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of WTE staff, by job title and grad working in each INTREO office within Kildare, in tabular form. [42344/26]

1185. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the current average waiting times for disability allowance, carer’s allowance and domiciliary care allowance applications across the State. [42357/26]

1186. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people in the Longford–Westmeath area currently accessing the additional needs payment scheme. [42358/26]

1187. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has assessed the impact of rising rents and energy costs on pensioners and low-income families in Longford and Westmeath. [42359/26]

1188. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of social welfare appeals originating from Longford and Westmeath currently awaiting determination; and the average waiting time involved. [42360/26]

1189. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who received publicly funded driving lesson, learner driver or driving test supports through employment activation or social inclusion programmes in each of the past five years; and the number of such recipients recorded as Irish citizens, EU nationals, non-EEA nationals, or persons with international protection status, where such…

1190. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the eligibility criteria applicable to publicly funded driving lesson, learner permit, driving test and driver training supports provided through schemes operated by his Department or bodies under its remit; and whether such supports are available to Irish citizens, EU nationals, persons with international protection status, applicants for internationa…

1191. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the total amount expended, directly or indirectly, on driving lessons, learner permits, driving tests, vehicle hire for driving tests, and related driver training supports for persons participating in employment activation or social inclusion programmes in each of the past five years, broken down by scheme and by county. [42370/26]

1192. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether recipients of publicly funded driving lesson, driving test or driver training supports are subject to any repayment conditions, clawback provisions or financial recovery mechanisms where they subsequently cease employment, fail to take up employment, or discontinue participation in an activation programme; and if he will provide details of the …

1193. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has undertaken any review, assessment or evaluation of publicly funded driving lesson or driving test support schemes linked to employment activation, rural transport accessibility, or social inclusion objectives; and if he will provide details of any such reviews, including expenditure, eligibility criteria and reported outcomes…

1194. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of an appeal for domiciliary care allowance for a person (details supplied); if the appeal can be expedited given the circumstances; if his Department will provide an update on the expected timeline for a decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42392/26]

1195. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the eligibility criteria for Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA), specifically the requirement that entitlement ceases when a child reaches 16 years of age; whether consideration is being given to extending eligibility to age 18, particularly for lifelong conditions such as Type 1 diabetes where significant care needs continue …

1196. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the 18.5 hour weekly work limit attached to Carer’s Allowance eligibility in circumstances where carers wish to remain in employment, particularly in professions such as teaching where standard working hours exceed the permitted threshold; if consideration has been given to introducing greater flexibility for qualified profe…

1197. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection the staff turnover rate in his Department in the years 2019 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42432/26]

1198. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider addressing the existing gap in the jobseeker's allowance payment which does not provide bereavement leave for citizens in receipt of this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42458/26]

1199. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider widening the existing scope provided for as 'holiday leave' for citizens in receipt of the jobseeker's allowance payment to also include family bereavements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42459/26]

1200. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Social Protection whether consideration is being given to extending eligibility for domiciliary care allowance beyond the age of 16 years to 18 years to align with the completion of secondary school education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42540/26]

1201. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will ensure that the entitlement of a person (details supplied) to carer's allowance is determined for an application first made in August 2025; the reasons this allowance has not been approved to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42697/26]