Social Welfare Eligibility

369. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of years it will take before he will be in a position to abolish the means test for carer's allowance. [53384/25]

370. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount disregarded from means assessment under the job seekers allowance scheme and the non-contributory pension scheme from income derived from seaweed harvesting; when this disregard was last adjusted; the change in the consumer price index since; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53536/25]

371. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person whose self-employed income derives wholly from seaweed harvesting is eligible to receive farm assist; if such persons are made aware of this entitlement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53541/25]

374. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department will propose a policy change to allow for carers to be eligible for the fuel allowance without another person in the house having to be on a social welfare payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53557/25]

377. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person in receipt of death benefits under the occupational injuries scheme can avail of the living alone allowance; if not, if he will consider such a request; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53769/25]

381. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that section 179(4) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005's criteria for when a relevant person shall be regarded as requiring full-time care and attention precludes many carers of neurodivergent people; if he is aware that this passage does not acknowledge the essential needs specific to neurodivergent peop…

383. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection to revise the approach to the income disregards for the means test for the carers allowance (details supplied). [53805/25]

387. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2026 of increasing the income limit to be eligible for fuel allowance for persons aged over 66 to €560 per week for a single person or €1,120 for a couple; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53847/25]

542. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider removing the means test as a qualifying criterion for blind welfare allowance, in recognition of the additional financial burden experienced by people who are blind or vision impaired; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53833/25]

332. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the fuel allowance payment for a person (details supplied) was stopped, and the options available to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52844/25]

333. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) does not have an entitlement to the fuel allowance or living alone allowance; the options now available to the person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52847/25]

100. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that persons in receipt of a widow/widower’s pension and under 70 are not entitled to free travel for a companion, while their counterparts entitled to free travel who have a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant can travel for free with them; if he will consider extending free travel for companions to these widow’s/widowe…

105. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the current policy whereby domiciliary care allowance ceases at age 16, requiring families to apply for disability allowance, which is means-tested on the household, resulting in many families losing financial support for their child with a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52467/25]

106. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider extending the upper age limit for domiciliary care allowance to 18 years of age, to ensure continuity of support for young persons with disabilities and their families, particularly in cases where the means test for disability allowance results in ineligibility for payment; and if he will make a statement on the …

108. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of families who lose all State support when their child turns 16 and domiciliary care allowance ends, due to not meeting the means test for disability allowance, in tabular form; the measures being considered to address this gap in support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52470/25]

111. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department plans to increase the income threshold for the fuel allowance payment; if not, if he will consider same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52592/25]

599. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether her Department will review the eligibility of undocumented individuals for welfare benefits; and the safeguards which exist to ensure only lawful residents access payments. [51158/25]

600. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures in place to verify residency and legal status in applications for social welfare payments; and if additional safeguards are being introduced in 2025. [51171/25]

620. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the abolition of the means test for carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51314/25]

624. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of maternity benefit applications refused on the grounds of insufficient PRSI; the estimated number involving full-time PhD researchers or scholarship holders; if a breakdown by HEI, by month will be provided; the number and outcome of appeals in these cases, in 2020 to 2024 and to date in 2025; and if he will make a sta…

625. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has examined options to maintain insurability for PhD scholarship holders e.g. an education/training PRSI credit or a tailored insurable class so that eligibility for maternity benefit and related payments accrues during State-supported doctoral study; the outcome of any such analysis; the timeframe for a decision…

636. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue on a person’s (details supplied) carers allowance review in view of the fact it has been pending for some time; if he will give serious consideration to awarding the person the carers allowance given they provide a significant level of full time care to the person in question and the means test threshold has…

637. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the income thresholds for single occupancy households applying for the fuel allowance, in view of the increased cost of living and the fact that two-person households benefit from a higher threshold; and if he will consider raising the income limits for single person households to ensure equitable access to the fuel…

638. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will clarify the eligibility of individuals for an allowance (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51626/25]

639. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection if clear written guidance can be provided to Intreo staff regarding the eligibility of social enterprise founders and directors for the back to work enterprise allowance, in view of the Government’s stated policy to support social enterprises and neurodivergent individuals’ participation in economic and social life; and if he will…