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against inflation. The fuel allowance will increase by €5 per week, helping more than 460,000 households. We have also increased the living alone allowance, benefiting older people and others living alone. The budget also provides for a new cost-of-disability payment of €500 to support

increase in the cost of groceries alone. Grocery increases are running at about €500 per year. Last year's budget was an assault on families and made the situation much worse for most households. The removal of the cost-of-living supports meant income losses across all income … double payments in October and at Christmas and lump sums for recipients of fuel allowance, child benefit, carer's allowance and the living alone allowance. That was needed this year. That is what the Government should have done. There are other issues I would like to come back

particularly vulnerable people. We need equal access to treatment regardless of ability to pay. It has to be based on medical needs alone. We are completely out of step and in the Dark Ages compared with the rest of Europe, including countries that are much poorer than … extra in a cost-of-living payment for disability. There was €300 extra in fuel allowance in one payment alone. The living alone allowance was up €300. Electricity credits were up €200 each time. There was €230 extra on the basic Christmas bonus. Last October, there

must be in receipt of a qualifying payment and also in receipt of both the living alone allowance and the fuel allowance. This means that those in receipt of the allowance already receive considerable support from the Department. However, there is, to be fair to the Deputy, merit … weekly income. These payments are available through community welfare officers. Increasing the rate of household-based schemes, such as the living alone increase and the fuel allowance, provides targeted support to households that are at a higher risk of poverty. Any proposal to increase the rate payable

those most vulnerable to the volatility of the price of imported fossil fuel. Enhancements to the fuel allowance, increases to the living alone allowance and the child support payment changes to the working family payment income threshold, as well as the new cost-of-disability payment, will

distances. We need to look at everything because at the end of the day we are all under the one sky. The living alone allowance needs to be addressed because people who live alone have the same costs in the house. When there is an elderly couple living

Turning to the Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, grant, I think it was an ideal opportunity to do something about youngsters not being allowed to work at weekends. I was promised that if they kept it under approximately €8,000 in the year, they could work weekends … some jobs. Quarries were mentioned as well, and the people supplying those kinds of materials. They got nothing either. Moving to the living alone allowance and the pension, an extra €3 for a person living alone on a pension is not much because they have

have to be cognisant that this is very fast changing situation in the Middle East. It makes sense to extend the fuel allowance by four weeks. It makes sense that community welfare officers are liaising and working with families that are hard pressed and struggling at the moment … heating oil situation, as well gas and energy security, it is crucial that in any future supports package, we look at a living alone allowance. When two older people live together, they have the ability to combine their pensions, whatever type of pension

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

also have a commitment in the programme for Government to examine key benefits such as the fuel allowance, households benefits and the living alone allowance. That is an ongoing activity to make sure they are as relevant and targeted as possible. The household benefits package is specifically targeted

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

Taoiseach should listen back to Noel on "Today with David McCullagh" and hear exactly what he had to say about living alone allowance. He was not speaking just for himself but for countless pensioners living alone across the country who feel the badly let down by the Government

prioritise - and I have been doing this in my work on the committee and in my emails and parliamentary questions - is the living alone allowance. It costs the same to heat a home whether someone is on their own or whether there are two people living … income limit for a single person, I think that would really benefit the pensioner living alone whose pension has just put them above the threshold which then makes them lose the fuel allowance. They then lose access to the free warmer homes scheme. That

programme for Government includes a commitment to examine key benefits such as the fuel allowance, the household benefits package and the living alone allowance increase to support vulnerable groups. This will be ongoing activity as part of our annual budget planning process. I intend to continue to make

helping people most at risk. It is helping people when it comes to the fuel allowance, it is helping people with the living alone allowance, it is helping people in our farming communities, it is helping with the transition in the form of EV grants and infrastructure

these people. Like many representatives over the last 24 hours, I am deeply disappointed in the totally inadequate €3 increase in the living alone allowance. This payment had not been increased in a number of years, and the Government thought that €3 was enough for older people living … risen to 40% living in poverty. A sum of €3 would not even buy a cup of coffee, let alone help older people with the cost of living. Many older people will also be disappointed with the €10 increase in the State pension. At least €15, which

taken in the round, many incomes will fall without the permanent social protection supports. We are talking about the removal of the living alone allowance, disability support grants, electricity credits and the October double payment. All of that is retrograde. The cost of disability is the extra spending

critical infrastructure projects across our country. Since then, we have embarked on an unprecedented programme of change, and it is working. This year alone, we have: fast-tracked nationally significant projects through the Critical Infrastructure Act; cut months from project timelines through reformed approval processes; backed decision makers … income threshold for the fuel allowance for single pensioners from €534 to €641 per week, and I am also increasing the living alone allowance rate by €3 per week, or 14%, benefitting 260,000 recipients. To support families and children, I am increasing the weekly rates of child

already started to get emails from people seeking to know what they are going to do with €3. The increase to the living alone allowance was €3. I would not give that amount to a child to go to the shop because they would not be able

billion was given away to fast-food chains and property developers. This could have increased the income disregard for those on the disability allowance to €250. It could have increased funding for the EmployAbility and WorkAbility programmes to support people with disabilities in the workplace. It could have … enough left over to provide even more supports like increasing the living alone allowance to €27 per week and the fuel allowance by €9.50, providing an additional four weeks also. I wish to raise those living with a disability and the problems they have in gaining employment

targeted more by allowing people the choice to spend the money on whatever energy source they want. The position with the living alone allowance is similar. There has been an increase since 2019, and an increase in the overall budget, which is substantial, but still not enough people

allowing thousands more older people to qualify for support and enable them also to apply for the warmer home scheme. The living alone allowance will be increased to €25 per week, benefiting more than 259,000 people. This was an important addition to the budget for my Independent … work on this. The lump sum payment of €500 will help bridge the gap between the current weekly disability allowance and the cost of living with a disability today. In my own Department of Transport, I am delighted to confirm €6.5 million funding for the vehicle adaptation scheme

from €300 per week upwards. It should be noted that the reason for the drop-off is the disability support grant, the living alone allowance and the one-off payments for electricity and so on. One in five people who are disabled is already living in consistent poverty

Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the current rate of the living alone allowance; the most recent occasion there was an increase in this allowance; if he will consider an increase to this allowance in budget 2027; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an ongoing review of the rate payable under the living alone allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43852/26

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of people in receipt of the living alone allowance, broken down by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43853/26

Protection the position regarding the engagement he has had with a NGO or charity in relation to the rate payable under the living alone allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43854/26

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if the rate payable under the living alone allowance is under consideration in the context of budget negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43855/26

Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to an increase in the living alone allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43942/26

Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2027 if the living alone allowance increased to €28.50 per week. [38792/26

Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider for the upcoming Budget 2027 amending the living alone allowance scheme to include single (never married) retired civil and public servants employed prior to 1995, given that the current scheme discriminates against such employees

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding any review of the living alone allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37018/26

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people in receipt of the living alone allowance in each of the years from 2020 to date in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37019/26

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to increase the living alone allowance in the upcoming Budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37714/26

Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has any plans to review the qualifying criteria for the living alone allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31081/26

Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people in Tipperary in receipt of the living alone allowance; how this compares to 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31082/26

Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the qualifying criteria for the living alone allowance can be expanded so that a public sector pensioner (details supplied) who is ineligible for a qualifying payment may be considered eligible; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection to increase the living alone allowance in recognition of the significantly lower income available to qualifying single householders relative to couples. [15159/26

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to increase the living alone allowance. [2901/26

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated net loss of income faced by a single adult on disability allowance living alone in 2026 compared with 2025, arising from the discontinuation of once-off supports such as the €400 disability payment, €300 fuel lump

asked the Minister for Social Protection the net change in income in 2026 compared with 2025 for a single adult on disability allowance living alone, taking account of the withdrawal of once off supports in Budget 2025 including the €400 disability cost-of-living payment, the €300 fuel

asked the Minister for Social Protection the net change in income in 2026 compared with 2025 for a single adult on disability allowance living alone, taking account of the withdrawal of once off supports in Budget 2025 including the €400 disability cost-of-living payment, the €300 fuel

Social Protection if he will consider changing the rules so that a person in receipt of death benefit is entitled to the living alone allowance upon reaching the age of 66. [70229/25

Social Protection the number of people in County Kerry who will be affected by the changes in budget 2026 to the living alone allowance; the estimated number of people who would have benefitted if further funding was provided for the allowance; and if he will make a statement

asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures being taken to ensure that older people living alone receive timely access to the living alone allowance and the household benefits package, particularly where delays in processing applications are causing hardship; and if he will make a statement

Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in County Laois who were in receipt of living alone allowance and subjected to a review by his Department in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make

Social Protection the number of people in County Donegal who will be affected by the changes in Budget 2026 to the living alone allowance; the estimated number of people that would have benefitted if further funding was provided for allowance; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications his Department received for the living alone allowance in 2024 and to date in 2025; the number of applications that were refused in each of the years in question; and the average processing times