111. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons currently on jobseeker's benefit; the number of persons that have applied for jobseeker's benefit, by year, for the past five years; the steps he is taking to address the rising unemployment rate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61990/25]
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
135. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm that consideration will be given to introducing a pay-related maternity benefit, based on the woman’s current earnings so that they do not experience a sudden drop in income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62177/25]
351. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline any plans to review and improve the financial and social supports available to foster carers, including measures relating to allowances, pension entitlements, and access to additional benefits such as the back to school clothing and footwear allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62409/25]
645. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if a caring support pension application can be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60922/25]
646. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if carers allowance and fuel allowance will be approved for a person (details supplied) as a matter of urgency. [60931/25]
655. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection his position on introducing a basic Income for carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61043/25]
656. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection the position on supporting persons with disabilities who want to work to find and retain employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61044/25]
658. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to introduce additional supports to assist hard pressed senior citizens with the cost of living crisis; if he will consider the fact that the cost of food, heating, electricity and everything else is on the increase, including an additional two euros per day for meals on wheels that automatically wipes out the ten euros a week increase in the State p…
662. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of a carers allowance application for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61611/25]
684. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in County Clare has not received their disability allowance payment for the past two weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62031/25]
685. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Social Protection to reconsider the decision to make farm assist a credited benefit so that participants do not lose out on contributions while in receipt of this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62041/25]
873. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 102 of 4 November 2025, her views on the way in which evidence based policy will be effectively developed in the absence of up-to-date data on return to work outcomes following maternity, paternity and parent's leave (details supplied). [61505/25]
269. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the application for disability allowance will be expedited for a person (details supplied) to allow access to further education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60606/25]
271. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the invalidity pension application by a person (details supplied); when a decision will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60609/25]
272. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a carers support grant application for a person (details supplied) was not approved, following the award of carers benefit for a person with autism who is been cared for full-time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60611/25]
275. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if a full review of an application for carers allowance for a person (details supplied) will be undertaken. [60801/25]
279. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people in each county that have received the new baby grant since it was introduced, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60885/25]
281. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people that have received the pay related job seekers benefit since it was introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60887/25]
130. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on an application for invalidity pension for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60225/25]
102. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Taoiseach when the CSO will publish an updated set of the Employment Analysis of Maternity and Paternity Benefits 2019-2022. [58414/25]
1226. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to urgently investigate and allow a pro rata payment of maternity benefit for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59844/25]
96. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance in County Kildare each year from 2022 to 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57472/25]
514. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Social Protection to please review the case of a person (details supplied) in the hope that his son can maintain his social welfare because of the extenuating circumstances. [56644/25]
522. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has engaged with, or intends to engage with, the UK department for work and pensions regarding the recent changes to the winter fuel allowance eligibility criteria; if his Department will seek clarification on whether UK pensioners residing in Ireland under the common travel area will be afforded eligibility for the payment; and if he will…
523. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if he considers it fair that parents are being penalised through reductions or exclusions from the fuel allowance and other social welfare supports as a result of the ongoing housing crisis, where many adult children are unable to secure independent accommodation and are continuing to live in the family home; if he will review these criteria so th…