Topics / Social Welfare Benefits

A subject heading for parliamentary questions

Social 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
MonthQuestions
January 20250
February 202545
March 202526
April 202519
May 202539
June 202583
July 202546
August 20250
September 202588
October 202539
November 202539
December 202527
January 202621
February 202650
March 202619
April 202610
May 202622
June 202660
July 202612
August 20260
September 202633
October 20263

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.

  • Aontú24 from 2 TDs · 2 seats today
  • Fianna Fáil191 from 31 TDs · 48 seats today
  • Fine Gael175 from 22 TDs · 38 seats today
  • Green Party4 from 1 TD · 1 seat today
  • Independent49 from 9 TDs · 15 seats today
  • Independent Ireland6 from 4 TDs · 4 seats today
  • Labour Party45 from 9 TDs · 11 seats today
  • People Before Profit-Solidarity16 from 3 TDs · 3 seats today
  • Sinn Féin136 from 30 TDs · 39 seats today

The TDs who asked most

Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.

  1. 37
  2. 34
  3. 22
  4. 20
  5. 19
  6. 18
  7. 17
  8. 17

Asked of

Debated under the same heading

Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.

The questions

Naoise Ó Cearúil Written 30 Sep 2025 · to Social
615. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection the timeframe to process supplementary welfare allowance applications per county, in tabular form; the measures being taken to reduce waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51237/25]
Naoise Ó Cearúil Written 30 Sep 2025 · to Social
616. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection the timeframe to process widowed parent grant applications per county, in tabular form; the measures being taken to reduce waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51238/25]
Willie O'Dea Written 30 Sep 2025 · to Social
622. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made regarding a jobseekers application which was submitted in June 2025 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51400/25]
Cormac Devlin Written 30 Sep 2025 · to Social
626. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of households in receipt of fuel allowance, by qualifying primary payment (for example State pension, disability allowance, jobseeker's long-term schemes, carer's allowance, etc.), by age band of primary claimant (under 66, 66-69, 70-79, 80+), for each of the past fuel allowance seasons 2021/2022 to 2025/2026, in tabular form; and if he wil…
Cormac Devlin Written 30 Sep 2025 · to Social
627. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of successful fuel allowance claims by assessment pathway, distinguishing claims qualifying under the over-66 higher means limits, claims qualifying under the standard means test; within those cohorts, the number of claimants with assessable capital falling within each €10,000 band up to and above the current capital disregard; the same bre…
Cormac Devlin Written 30 Sep 2025 · to Social
628. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number and share of claimants opting for weekly payments and opting for lump-sum payments of the fuel allowance for each of the past three seasons; the total value paid under each option; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51428/25]
Cormac Devlin Written 30 Sep 2025 · to Social
629. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of fuel allowance recipient households and total expenditure by local authority area; the claimant rates per 1,000 households to allow comparison between areas for 2024/2025 and 2025/2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51429/25]
Cormac Devlin Written 30 Sep 2025 · to Social
630. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the average and median processing time for fuel allowance applications in 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 to date; the share of applications decided within two, four, six, and eight weeks; the number of refusals and appeals, with the principal reasons for refusal listed and ranked by frequency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51430/25]
Cormac Devlin Written 30 Sep 2025 · to Social
631. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of fuel allowance recipients whose qualifying payment is carer's allowance, carer's benefit, disability allowance, or invalidity pension; the number of these cases which qualified under the over-66 means limits versus the standard means test, in 2024/2025 and 2025/2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51431/25]
Cormac Devlin Written 30 Sep 2025 · to Social
632. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide total fuel allowance expenditure; the average amount paid per recipient household for each of the past five seasons, showing the proportion of part-season payments due to late awards or changes in circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51432/25]
Emer Currie Written 30 Sep 2025 · to Social
645. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who have availed of parents benefit in each county; the number of mothers and fathers who have availed of parent's benefit in each county, in tabular form; his views on the further steps that can be taken to encourage greater uptake of parent's benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51716/25]
Emer Currie Written 30 Sep 2025 · to Social
646. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans to introduce pay related parents benefit; the estimated cost for the first 12 months for this extension if it was modelled on the same payment rates which apply to jobseekers pay related benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51717/25]
Aidan Farrelly Written 30 Sep 2025 · to Social
655. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2026 if child benefit is increased by €12 per month. [51841/25]
Naoise Ó Muirí Written 30 Sep 2025 · to Social
657. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection the levels of maternity benefit and maternity leave, paternity benefit and leave, parental benefit and parental leave which will apply during 2026; and if there are any anticipated changes in any of these due to take place during 2026. [51897/25]
Naoise Ó Muirí Written 30 Sep 2025 · to Social
658. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection the additional supports or secondary benefits allowed to persons on a carer's allowance; and to persons on a carer's benefit. [51904/25]
Naoise Ó Muirí Written 30 Sep 2025 · to Social
659. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of carer's benefit; the typical duration of their claim; and if she has considered greater flexibility under the scheme to cover intermittent caring periods. [51905/25]
Naoise Ó Muirí Written 30 Sep 2025 · to Social
661. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection the take up to date of the concession of free travel to those medically unfit to drive; and the number of children who will benefit from free travel. [51914/25]
Seán Ó Fearghaíl Written 25 Sep 2025 · to Social
99. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans for a targeted child benefit payment. [50693/25]
Naoise Ó Muirí Written 25 Sep 2025 · to Social
101. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of extending the period of a social welfare payment following the death of a dependent from six to 12 weeks as committed to in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50439/25]
Willie O'Dea Written 25 Sep 2025 · to Social
102. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the proposed annual cost of the disability support payment. [50674/25]
Pádraig O'Sullivan Written 25 Sep 2025 · to Social
103. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on plans in the Programme for Government to introduce a permanent annual cost of disability support payment, which will be increased incrementally over the lifetime of the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50432/25]
Sean Fleming Written 25 Sep 2025 · to Social
104. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to remove inconsistencies and anomalies in the current jobseeker's allowance scheme which discourage people from taking up employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50698/25]
Catherine Ardagh Written 25 Sep 2025 · to Social
106. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Social Protection the means by which he is enhancing application processes within his Department, and providing additional resources where necessary, to ensure that individuals receive decisions on their applications in a timely manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50711/25]
Catherine Ardagh Written 25 Sep 2025 · to Social
109. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans for a comprehensive review of means tests across the social welfare system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50710/25]
John Clendennen Written 25 Sep 2025 · to Social
110. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people who have received the free travel pass since it was extended to persons who are medically unable to drive, by county; the cost of this expansion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50596/25]