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Local Link, which is expanding its footprint to address the exact kind of loneliness the Deputy has just referred to. The living alone allowance, or the living alone increase as it is formerly known, is available to those who are in receipt of the qualifying payments … living alone allowance, not a scheme or stand-alone payment. It is a supplement to a primary social protection payment of €22 per week made to people aged 66 or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are living alone. For the record

miles, in a rural area is more expensive. This is one matter we should be considering in terms of the living alone allowance. Where people look after themselves at home, there is less demand on the State compared to them being in nursing home care. Therefore … subject we need to look at, especially for people living in rural areas, is that of people living alone and the living alone allowance

Minister for Social Protection if an examination of improvements to key ancillary benefits such as the fuel allowance, household benefits package and living alone allowance to support vulnerable groups has occurred as per the programme for Government; if not, when this examination is to occur

Minister if an examination of improvements to key ancillary benefits, such as the fuel allowance, household benefits package and living alone allowance, to support vulnerable groups has occurred as part of the programme for Government. If not, when is this examination to occur? Will the Minister make

groups. The programme for Government includes a commitment to examine key ancillary benefits such as the fuel allowance, household benefits package and living alone allowance to support vulnerable groups. This is an ongoing activity as part of my Department's budget planning each year. For example, there have

living lump sum payment for people in receipt of disability allowance, invalidity pension or blind pension in November 2024; a €200 cost-of-living lump sum payment to people who are getting a living alone allowance in November 2024; and a €12 increase in the maximum personal rate

then see the State fight with all its legal might against those families who are simply trying to realise their rights. That alone is something this Government must look at. I do not know that there is a litigation policy. I have been advised that there … people who have been in contact with me and my team, who tell us about how they have simply had to put their lives on hold and how they have had to reshape their whole families around the fact that their children cannot access assessments of need

insolvent and allows workers to access the insolvency payment scheme even if an employer has not gone through a formal court process. That is overdue and welcome. It also provides a path for historical claims, recognising that many have already lost out. However, legislation alone is not enough … they are denied collective bargaining or trade union recognition. School secretaries and caretakers are currently balloting for industrial action. Wage theft remains a live issue that is not legislated for. Union recognition is denied as a right across all sectors. That is why we need more than piecemeal

caveats noted, the Deputies may wish to learn that the first new recruits from the September 2024 recruitment campaign have been carrying out live tests since April, with a second tranche entering training this week and a third to commence training before the end of May. With additional … possible, particularly in view of the mismatch between testing capacity and demand. In late 2023, the driver testing booking system was updated to allow for unused test slots to be made available for candidates to take up at short notice. The RSA makes such appointments available for candidates

many years of their lives to their workplace, all while that very company held on to some of the most valuable commercial real estate in Dublin. In a time when a company seeks the aid of the courts and the State in allowing it to escape the repayment … State, are willing to take more responsibility for the protection of people’s livelihoods, it is nonsensical to shoulder that burden alone and allow companies that have already failed in their responsibility to remain solvent, to such a degree that they become bankrupt, to then also not take

facts and not blinded by emotion or ideology. There has been 356 incidents of settler violence in the West Bank this year alone. Entire Bedouin communities have been displaced. A total of 431 Palestinian structures have been demolished. This is not how peace is built … role in peacekeeping from the Congo to Lebanon. We understand conflict. We lived through our own Troubles. We also understand that peace is not made by shouting but by listening. This is our chance to live up to the promise of our neutrality. We should not sit idle

intention to bring a memorandum to Government on this next week. We call on Israel to fully lift its blockade and allow for unimpeded access of humanitarian aid at scale into Gaza. We must see further sanctions if Israel does not end this military offensive. We call … humanitarians who continue to save lives every day and work in unspeakable conditions. The year 2024 was the deadliest on record for humanitarian workers, a surge driven by the war in Gaza, which has killed almost 300 UNRWA staff alone. The attack on 15 Red Crescent ambulance staff

need to work on the logistics of it far quicker than we are working on them right now because we cannot allow children who have special educational needs to be travelling to Fermoy to go to school. We need to get the ball rolling now, get this over … families throughout the country. I was privileged to get the opportunity to teach those students and to play an important role in their lives. However, there are still serious barriers to education for many people. We still have voluntary contributions in most of our voluntary schools across

Gridziuska was travelling. The car was uninsured and lacked a valid NCT. The driver was replaced by Gridziuska himself and the car was allowed to continue on its way. That encounter could and should have led to his arrest. It could have prevented the collision that claimed Shane … memory to ensure no other family find themselves in such a position. Let me be clear: this is not about one tragic case alone; it is about the integrity of our justice system. It is about whether the safeguards we believe are in place are actually functioning

participating in early learning and childcare, parents are paying less, and staff have seen increases in pay. The substantial efforts made in 2024 alone are outlined in the recently published First 5 annual implementation report, the annual progress reports on nurturing skills and the national action plan … preschool scheme outside of preschool hours, both in term and out of term. This is making an enormous difference to the lives of children with a disability. Further extensions of the access and inclusion model for younger children and schoolgoing children are now being considered. Equal Start

Minister for Social Protection if an examination of improvements to key ancillary benefits such as the fuel allowance, household benefits package and living alone allowance to support vulnerable groups has occurred as per the programme for Government; if not, when this examination is to occur

fulfil the Programme for Government commitment to examine improvements to key ancillary benefits, such as the fuel allowance, household benefits package and living alone allowance, to support vulnerable groups. [21603/25

asked the Minister for Social Protection for the first and full year cost of a €50 payment to all recipients of the living alone allowance. [28459/25

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if the living alone allowance will be increased, (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23976/25