Topics / Social Welfare Code

A subject heading for parliamentary questions

Social Welfare Code

195 questions from 79 TDs, between 5 February 2025 and 20 October 2026.

195
questions
184 written, 11 oral
79
TDs have asked
10
parties and groups
Independents counted together
3
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 202527
March 20254
April 20257
May 202511
June 202513
July 20251
August 20250
September 202514
October 20253
November 202517
December 20255
January 20265
February 20261
March 202643
April 20264
May 202617
June 20261
July 20266
August 20260
September 20268
October 20268

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.

  • Aontú19 from 1 TD · 2 seats today
  • Fianna Fáil43 from 23 TDs · 48 seats today
  • Fine Gael29 from 11 TDs · 38 seats today
  • Green Party2 from 1 TD · 1 seat today
  • Independent16 from 7 TDs · 15 seats today
  • Independent Ireland5 from 2 TDs · 4 seats today
  • Labour Party13 from 7 TDs · 11 seats today
  • People Before Profit-Solidarity11 from 2 TDs · 3 seats today
  • Sinn Féin42 from 18 TDs · 39 seats today

The TDs who asked most

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

  1. 19
  2. 9
  3. 8
  4. 8
  5. 7
  6. 7
  7. 6
  8. 6

Asked of

Debated under the same heading

Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.

The questions

Paul Lawless Written 18 Mar 2026 · to Social
1209. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which the frequently of the entitlement to the State Pension Non Contributory is reviewed by his Department; whether annual reviews are carried out in all cases, particularly where an individual's income is affected by currency fluctuations arising from a United Kingdom pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20168/26]
Paul Lawless Written 18 Mar 2026 · to Social
1210. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department collects or holds any data on whether the recovery of overpayments from estates disproportionately affects individuals who did not have children or who lived alone; and if not, whether the Department will conduct an assessment to ensure that recovery procedures operate equitably across all household types; and if he will make a …
Paul Lawless Written 18 Mar 2026 · to Social
1211. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the maximum time period for which his Department may retrospectively seek repayment of social welfare overpayments from a deceased person's estate; whether his Department has considered introducing a statutory limitation period to ensure fairness and certainty for families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20170/26]
Shane Moynihan Written 18 Mar 2026 · to Social
1212. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department is examining options to individualise disability allowance payment to ensure greater financial independence for persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20296/26]
Shane Moynihan Written 18 Mar 2026 · to Social
1213. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has examined barriers to financial inclusion faced by recipients of disability allowance, including where the payment is not recognised for mortgages, pensions or saving schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20297/26]
Paul Lawless Written 18 Mar 2026 · to Social
1216. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the means test for disability allowance in cases where the applicant is cohabiting or married, given that a partner's full time wages are fully assessed with no income disregard; if he will address the financial hardship this creates for couples where one partner has a disability and loses their payment as a result; and if he will ma…
Barry Ward Written 18 Mar 2026 · to Social
1221. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if he can outline the legislative basis that requires in-person attendance for the collection of jobseekers benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20688/26]
Barry Ward Written 18 Mar 2026 · to Social
1222. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to a situation (details supplied); if an exception can be made in relation to the requirement of in-person collection of jobseekers payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20689/26]
Barry Ward Written 18 Mar 2026 · to Social
1223. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding his Department's policy on the electronic transfer of social welfare payments; the way in which this can be accommodated in a case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20690/26]
Barry Ward Written 18 Mar 2026 · to Social
1224. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding any review of his Department's policy in relation to the electronic transfer of social welfare payments in place of in person attendance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20691/26]
Ivana Bacik Written 18 Mar 2026 · to Social
1226. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is satisfied by the adequacy of illness benefit in the context of the cost of living crisis; his views on reviewing its adequacy as income protection in high cost areas; and if he has corresponded with the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment about the adequacy of the five-day cap in place following a claim of statutory sick leave. [20…
Michael Cahill Written 5 Mar 2026 · to Health
505. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to urgently address an issue, whereby the increases in the State pension is pushing many senior citizens over the threshold for a medical card, thus causing the loss of full medical card; if he will consult with the Department of Health to ensure that the medical card thresholds are raised in line with pension rises; and if she will make a statement on the matt…
Emer Currie Written 17 Feb 2026 · to Social
866. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline whether any additional supports are currently available to parents who give birth to twins, or other multiple births; if there are any plans to expand these supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12593/26]
Roderic O'Gorman Written 22 Jan 2026 · to Social
429. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department plans to bring forward proposals on a cost of disability payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5219/26]
Cian O'Callaghan Written 21 Jan 2026 · to Social
185. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on the extension of the homeowner's once-off payment in respect of 2025 mortgage interest payments; if he will consider a case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4972/26]
John Paul O'Shea Written 20 Jan 2026 · to Social
696. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider changing the maximum hours a person can work (currently 18.5 hours per week) when qualifying for carer's allowance (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3742/26]
Aindrias Moynihan Written 15 Jan 2026 · to Social
54. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the key measures to be taken to tackle poverty in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2888/26]
Claire Kerrane Written 15 Jan 2026 · to Social
85. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will re-examine the report by the Child Maintenance Review Group, and the failure to find consensus on the establishment of a statutory child maintenance service; if he will examine this matter more broadly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2687/26]
Louise O'Reilly Written 18 Dec 2025 · to Social
542. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has given any consideration to a cost-of-disability payment.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73434/25]
Louise O'Reilly Written 18 Dec 2025 · to Social
546. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has considered implementing a ‘saver clause’ similar to that used when someone transitions from disability allowance to the State pension (non-contributory) for those in receipt of carer’s allowance when they transition to the State pension (non-contributory); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73441/25]
Seán Ó Fearghaíl Written 18 Dec 2025 · to Social
549. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection the key measures taken to tackle poverty during 2025; his priorities for 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73561/25]
Paul Lawless Written 9 Dec 2025 · to Social
527. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he accepts that the absence of the cost of disability payment represents a policy inconsistency given repeated commitments to its introduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69593/25]
Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh Written 3 Dec 2025 · to Social
166. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to develop a non-means-tested support for audiology equipment such as hearing aids; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68260/25]
Matt Carthy Written 19 Nov 2025 · to Social
179. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 194 of 11 June 2025, whether the review of means testing in the social protection system has been completed; if he now intends to amend the current weekly means limit for the increase for qualified adult allowance for recipients of the State pension and to increasing the current means limit of €100 which has been in…
Ged Nash Written 18 Nov 2025 · to Social
695. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection his position on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63695/25]