Social Welfare Benefits

89. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to provide better support to carers who are providing full-time care and attention to more than one person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8382/25]

95. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans for phasing out the means test for the carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8262/25]

97. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of newborn baby grants that have been made to parents in Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8177/25]

100. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of newborn baby grants that have been made to parents in Sligo and Leitrim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8266/25]

103. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on the roll-out of the newborn baby grants scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8596/25]

111. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of newborn baby grants that have now been made to parents in Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8129/25]

122. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications in total for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) made in 2024; the number granted at first instance; the number granted at appeal; if he is satisfied with the criteria used for determining the grant of DCA at first instance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8528/25]

128. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide a timeline for the implementation of the Programme for Government commitment to “Explore a targeted Child Benefit Payment”; his views on whether this would result in eligible families getting additional financial support or would the new payment simply replace the working family payment and the child support payment; …

139. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Social Protection how he plans to strengthen the safety net for our older citizens, improving their quality of life and promoting dignity and independence in later years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7938/25]

144. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to a system whereby those who on carer’s allowance, and who are working, are able to provide information on their working hours on a more regular basis to the Department avoiding unintentional accrued debts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6983/25]

145. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans for enhancing the supports available to carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8130/25]

154. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of newborn baby grants that have now been made to parents in Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8252/25]

296. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made in relation to carer's benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8658/25]

300. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) that is currently in receipt of illness benefit should apply for a disability allowance or an invalidity pension when her current benefit expires in September 2025, in view of the fact that her condition is terminal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8663/25]

198. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the average waiting time for an appeal for invalidity pension currently in the State; the average time for same in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8408/25]

206. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of exceptional needs payment applications made in the years 2020 to 2024 and to date in 2025, per county, in tabular form. [8548/25]

207. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of exceptional needs payment applications rejected in the years 2020 to 2024 and to date 2025, per county, in tabular form. [8549/25]

576. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made regarding a domiciliary care allowance application for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7221/25]

581. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of HAS1 forms that have been received per county or social welfare district since storm Éowyn; the number which have been processed; the number for which a payment has issued; the average payment in each county or district; the number of applications which have been rejected, in tabular form; and if he will make a statemen…

582. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is a variation in the manner in which HAS1 forms received since storm Éowyn have been dealt with in different counties or social welfare districts; if so, if he plans to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7285/25]

583. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection if the HAS1 form has been means tested since storm Éowyn; if payment will issue in cases in which frozen food had to be discarded but to power outages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7286/25]

593. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection if a redress payment from the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry in the North of Ireland to a person who is resident in the Republic of Ireland would impact on their State benefits; if a bilateral agreement is in place to avoid this as was the case for previous redress schemes on both sides of the border. [7563/25]

595. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are plans to revise the existing application guidelines for the domiciliary care allowance, especially in relation to children who are right below the threshold; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7589/25]

596. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports available to parents of autistic children where they do not qualify for the domiciliary care allowance. [7590/25]

609. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department is seeking receipts from those who submit HAS1 forms in respect of discarded frozen food in the aftermath of storm Éowyn; if he accepts that this is not possible in many instances whereby food was purchased several weeks beforehand and therefore receipts have not been retained; and if he will make a statement on the…