398. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if a carer’s allowance application (details supplied) will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70080/26]
Topics / Social Welfare Benefits
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsSocial Welfare Benefits
681 questions from 119 TDs, between 5 February 2025 and 6 October 2026.
681
questions
667 written, 14 oral
119
TDs have asked
10
parties and groups
Independents counted together
6
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 45 |
| March 2025 | 26 |
| April 2025 | 19 |
| May 2025 | 39 |
| June 2025 | 83 |
| July 2025 | 46 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 88 |
| October 2025 | 39 |
| November 2025 | 39 |
| December 2025 | 27 |
| January 2026 | 21 |
| February 2026 | 50 |
| March 2026 | 19 |
| April 2026 | 10 |
| May 2026 | 22 |
| June 2026 | 60 |
| July 2026 | 12 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 33 |
| October 2026 | 3 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
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37
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34
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22
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20
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19
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18
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17
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17
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
404. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) who has applied for a back to education allowance will receive an update. [70171/26]
409. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection to intervene in a situation regarding an individual's (details supplied) carer's allowance. [70375/26]
112. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of fuel allowance aged 66 or over at the end of each of the years 2023, 2024 and 2025 and at the latest date available in 2026, by age band 66 to 69, 70 to 79 and 80 and over, in tabular form; the number of applications from persons aged 66 or over refused on means in each of those years; and the number of such refusals in whi…
113. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the fuel allowance weekly income limit for persons aged 66 or over by €25, €50 and €100 for a single person, with the corresponding increase for couples; and the estimated full-year cost of introducing a tapered rate of fuel allowance for persons whose means exceed the limit by up to €100 a week. [69198/26]
114. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of telephone support allowance; the expenditure on the allowance in each of the years 2021 to 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form; the number of recipients of the household benefits package aged 70 or over who do not receive telephone support allowance; and the estimated full-year cost of extending telephone support allo…
115. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has reviewed the requirement that a person receive both the living alone increase and fuel allowance to qualify for telephone support allowance; whether the weekly income limit for fuel allowance for persons aged 66 or over will be increased in line with any increase in the State pension, so that pension increases do not remove …
516. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the introduction of pay-related parent's benefit; and when the public consultation will be issued. [68671/26]
19. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the actions his Department is taking to extend access to the heating supplement. [67655/26]
23. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps he is taking to ensure access for the self-employed to income support when they become ill. [66974/26]
26. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of persons combined who are actively claiming job seekers benefit, job seekers allowance and job-seekers pay related benefit; and if he will outline trends over the past five years such as whether more or less people are claiming unemployment-related social welfare this year compared to previous years; and if he will make a statement on…
28. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection if he intends to make changes to and increase the Household Benefits Package in the coming months. [67521/26]
30. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Social Protection if he consideration will be given to review the minimum 16 hours weekly worked hours to qualify for carer’s benefit; and the impact the current rules have for teachers who are not on full time hours. [67659/26]
38. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider, as part of Budget 2027, extending eligibility for Illness Benefit to self-employed workers who are unable to work due to illness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66646/26]
42. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration has been given to increasing the amount of time that an individual in receipt of disability allowance can spend outside the State from two weeks per year; and if consideration has been given to the level of surveillance and collection of personal data that is involved when a disability allowance recipient travels outside of the State…
53. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Social Protection the arrangements and supports available to families caring for a person with a disability who will require lifelong care, in circumstances where the principal family carer dies, becomes seriously ill or is otherwise no longer capable of providing that care; the advance planning mechanisms that are available to such families; whether his Department works …
60. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline the supports in-place for self-employed people who must reduce their hours; the adequacy of these supports in the context of the rising cost of living; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67568/26]
63. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to increase the weekly rate of Carer's Allowance Benefit to €325 to recognise the additional cost of providing fulltime care in a cost of living crisis. [67385/26]
65. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection whether, given the Government's stated ambition to support entrepreneurship and small business growth, he believes that the Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed) scheme and the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance remain fit for purpose in the modern economy; and whether a review of both schemes will be undertaken. [66710/26]
68. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline the level of service his Department already provides within the town of Shannon in County Clare; the way in which his Department proposes to address any deficiencies or expand their service offering in the town. [67218/26]
70. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons claiming job-seekers allowance who are new to Ireland and have never worked in Ireland prior to claiming the allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67175/26]
71. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of households that will receive the fuel allowance in the 2026/2027 season, by county. [67287/26]
76. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm whether consideration would be given to introducing a support specifically for older people to help with the cost of home heating oil. [67543/26]
84. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans in place to enhance and expand Social Welfare and Intreo Services in County Laois to match local population growth to ensure timely access for claimants. [67396/26]
109. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline his plans to reform the domiciliary care allowance. [66685/26]