Social Welfare Code

107. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans to reform the transition process from domiciliary care allowance to disability allowance, with a view to reducing the financial hardship experienced by families who no longer qualify for support due to the means test applied to disability allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52469/25]

109. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider introducing a non-means-tested payment or transitional support for young persons with disabilities who are no longer eligible for domiciliary care allowance and do not qualify for disability allowance due to household means; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52471/25]

87. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans for phasing out the means test entirely for the carer’s allowance during the lifetime of this Government, as per the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51028/25]

97. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of the fact that when custody is split between two separated or divorced co-parents, there is no mechanism by which both co-parents may each receive half of the children's allowance and the children's allowance instead universally goes to the mother regardless of circumstances; if he is aware of the financial hardsh…

121. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of extending illness benefit to the self-employed; the estimated increase in PRSI rates which would be required to meet this cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50441/25]

125. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on the report on benchmarking and indexing working age social protection rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50573/25]

147. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to consider removing the means test for fuel allowance for those over 70 and in receipt of qualifying payments and meeting all other necessary criteria; the cost that would be involved in implementing such a change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50507/25]

166. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made on introducing a new working age payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50697/25]

308. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether current social welfare rates are meeting the minimum essential standard of living in light of inflation and rising housing, energy and food costs; the revisions being planned in Budget 2026 to address adequacy concerns; the means by which the Department ensures that vulnerable households are protected from falling below subsi…

94. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2026, if the maximum rate of disability allowance were increased to €258.50 per week; if the maximum rate of State pension (contributory) were increased to €315 per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50725/25]

95. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection pursuant to the Programme for Government, the status of plans to reform the disability allowance payment; his plans to remove the means test for disability allowance payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50763/25]

96. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection if he plans to increase the wage subsidy scheme rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50854/25]

419. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection to consider increasing the fuel allowance thresholds for those in receipt of the contributory State pension and the non-contributory State pension in advance of Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50359/25]

732. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will update the operational guidance for the additional needs payment to explicitly include emergency veterinary expenses for accredited assistance dogs; if he will publish claim statistics and outcomes for 2024 and to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47927/25]

736. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports available to a household facing high electricity bills due to essential medical equipment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48059/25]

738. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if teachers who take a career break to work abroad, and whose contracts will not resume until September, are entitled to avail of jobseekers supports on their return to Ireland while looking for a job prior to the reopening of schools in September; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48122/25]

281. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will increase carers hours by one hour in line with part time contracts (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36850/25]

86. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline his plans for a pay-related carer’s benefit payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33117/25]

90. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on plans to abolish the means test for the carer’s allowance, given the strong support for this in the programme for Government; to confirm if it will be included in budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32829/25]

97. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Social Protection when he expects to publish the comprehensive review of means testing across the social welfare system as committed to in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32707/25]

115. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection how he is ensuring that the social welfare system is progressive and empowers people with a disability to live full and independent lives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32997/25]

122. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on his Department's review of all its social assistance schemes; if he will consider adapting the means-testing with a view to permanently supporting people with intellectual disabilities and autism in employment without fear of losing essential supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33198/25]

124. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to a report (details supplied); his plans to address the gap between the better off and those on the lowest welfare and work incomes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33109/25]

154. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to develop a pension solution for foster carers in recognition of the enormous contribution they make to vulnerable children in our society, as committed in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32967/25]

157. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to extend social welfare payments, benefits and allowances to foster carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33129/25]