148. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Social Protection his assessment of the impact to date of improvements to the carer's allowance means test. [50673/25]
Topics / Social Welfare Eligibility
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsSocial Welfare Eligibility
524 questions from 120 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 21 October 2026.
524
questions
517 written, 7 oral
120
TDs have asked
11
parties and groups
Independents counted together
5
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 | 11 |
| February 2025 | 57 |
| March 2025 | 25 |
| April 2025 | 16 |
| May 2025 | 36 |
| June 2025 | 17 |
| July 2025 | 45 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 37 |
| October 2025 | 32 |
| November 2025 | 28 |
| December 2025 | 9 |
| January 2026 | 23 |
| February 2026 | 40 |
| March 2026 | 14 |
| April 2026 | 7 |
| May 2026 | 40 |
| June 2026 | 42 |
| July 2026 | 6 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 31 |
| October 2026 | 8 |
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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22
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18
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16
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15
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15
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14
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13
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12
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
152. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to expand the criteria of the occupational injuries benefit scheme to include healthcare workers suffering with long Covid symptoms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50571/25]
168. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider removing means-testing for access to social protection supports e.g. fuel allowance and the household energy package, for people with an end-of-life cancer diagnosis; if he is aware that an organisation (details supplied) funded research in which people reported energy hardship in households where people are receiving palliative …
92. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason job sharing teachers who apply for carer's benefit are being refused as they are deemed not to work enough hours, even though they work well beyond their timetabled hours, including for the substitution and supervision scheme, yard duty and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50688/25]
424. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has reviewed the current eligibility criteria for the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance, in light of concerns raised regarding foster families; if he will now consider removing the means test requirement including the need to be in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment for foster carers, to ensure that all children in State …
733. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of disability allowance applications refused in the past five years for people with chronic conditions that significantly impact mobility and daily functioning, including chronic pain conditions; the average success rate at appeal stage; the average waiting time for appeal decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48023/25]
775. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection the social welfare entitlements of a person (details supplied). [48688/25]
1335. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has given consideration to removing the means test on jobseekers payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44820/25]
1341. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason widows who work full-time and are in receipt of a widow's pension and pay PRSI and all other taxes are not eligible for normal illness benefit. [44954/25]
1347. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if a carer's allowance application for a person (details supplied) will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45047/25]
1348. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the contributory widows pension is taken into consideration as an criteria for eligibility for widows seeking a social benefit such as illness benefit; and if there are plans to remove the contributory pension from being considered when seeking said benefits. [45069/25]
1349. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the contributory widows pension is taken into consideration as an criteria for eligibility for widows seeking back to school clothing and footwear allowance; and if there are plans to remove the contributory pension from being considered when seeking said benefits. [45070/25]
1357. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if the decision to refuse the back-to-school allowance for a person (details supplied) will be reviewed. [45435/25]
1376. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Social Protection his plan to allow JI participants to qualify for the fuel allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46031/25]
1377. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the qualification criteria for the fuel allowance (details supplied). [46117/25]
1378. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Social Protection since when applicants are required to provide proof of planning permission in order to qualify for the fuel allowance; the rationale behind the requirements for evidence of planning permission, such as with a case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46130/25]
1379. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to the fact that in cases in which a person sells their family home to move to more suitable accommodation, up to €337,500 of the sale proceeds is exempt from the means test for the State pension (non-contributory); that the same exemption does not apply when the person is applying for fuel allowance; if he plans to cor…
1747. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a social enterprise seeking to support survivors of SGBV would not be eligible for BTWEA/STEA; if he has plans to review the eligibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44355/25]
1768. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the high level of care needed for a child from his mother (details supplied) is not being taken fully into account for her domiciliary care allowance application, given the medical evidence, the ongoing treatment and expected surgeries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41278/25]
1771. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application by a person (details supplied) for the homeowner’s once-off payment will be reviewed. [41340/25]
1820. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to a case (details supplied); the actions he is taking to ensure that this behaviour is prevented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42182/25]
1830. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason teachers are exempt from jobseeker's pay-related benefit and are unable to claim this payment when they are out of contract during the summer term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42400/25]
1831. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection if the hours that can be worked while on carer's allowance could be increased to 19.5; if exceptions can be made to allow people on carer's allowance to work on a CE scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42407/25]
1835. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if the value of a person’s house is disregarded as part of an application for a disability allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42810/25]
1836. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the situation, where a person has €300,000 for a four-month period from the proceeds of their home and these proceeds being used to buy a new home, in terms of the capital disregard for a disability allowance payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42811/25]