1151. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the process that applies when a person with a disability who holds a free travel pass takes up employment, including the way in which their entitlement is reviewed; the criteria applied; the average time taken to reach a decision; the number of such reviews carried out in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement …
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
1177. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people who received maternity benefit, paternity benefit and parent’s leave and benefit in 2025, in tabular form. [19008/26]
2084. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in processing new blind welfare allowance applications, and when this delay will be resolved. [20197/26]
416. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that jobseeker's allowance is means-tested for couples who are cohabiting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18059/26]
417. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has considered options to maintain insurability for PhD scholarship holders, such as PRSI credits, so that eligibility for jobseeker's allowance can be sought after State-supported doctoral study; the outcome of any such analysis; the timeframe for a decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18060/26]
200. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the illness benefit payment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17428/26]
201. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Social Protection the financial supports are available for people on low income to pay for a reconnection of their electricity. [17460/26]
203. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures his Department is taking to enable payment of child benefit to be split between parents, in view of the fact that modern families may require this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17856/26]
349. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if those in receipt of the carer’s allowance and liable to income tax have already had their weekly payments changed to reflect this; if other recipients only see this liability on their weekly income later through the year given the fear many of those who received the letter now have of a tax liability to the Revenue Commissioners even at the end of t…
4. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the commitment to "Introduce Pay Related Parents Benefit and explore other payments where a similar model could be applied"; if maternity benefit is also being considered for pay related benefit status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14496/26]
13. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the carer’s benefit for teachers who are not on full time hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15591/26]
15. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the average waiting time in the last five years to award maternity benefit; paternity benefit; parents benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15027/26]
17. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress that has been made on the introduction of pay-related carers benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15519/26]
18. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of claims, by county, in 2025 for maternity benefit, paternity benefit and parents benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15029/26]
21. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of men, and number of women, who applied for parent’s benefit in the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14193/26]
28. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of domiciliary care allowance applications refused over the last three years, by county; the number of those refused where an appeal was registered; the outcome of that appeal, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15025/26]
29. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on plans for a targeted second-tier child benefit payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14957/26]
31. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has given consideration to updating the communications allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15411/26]
32. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures being taken to strengthen income supports and remove barriers to employment for people with disabilities; and the way his Department is responding to the additional cost-of-living and service access challenges facing individuals and families in areas such as north Dublin. [15482/26]
34. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in County Mayo claiming carers allowance; and if that number has increased or decreased over the past five years. [15141/26]
38. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of men who applied for paternity benefit, and the number of women who applied for maternity benefit, in the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14192/26]
44. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he intends to ensure that any disregards, means testing and income thresholds for secondary benefits including back- to-school clothing and footwear allowance, and national childcare scheme, are automatically raised in line with any core social welfare payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15655/26]
48. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the progress in extending illness benefit to the self-employed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14228/26]
51. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the exclusion of self-employed workers from illness benefit, despite their payment of PRSI. [15646/26]
57. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which he will ensure that every effort is made to support individuals transition from welfare into further education/training and work, by examining the way in which to avoid a cliff-edge when people take up work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15022/26]