82. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of carers whose applications for carer's allowance were refused solely as a result of the means test in each of the past five years; and the average amount by which applicants exceeded the income threshold. [67315/26]
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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18
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Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
83. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons holding a free travel pass on 31 August 2026, by qualifying category including State pension, disability allowance, invalidity pension, blind pension and carer's allowance recipients; the beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine, where applicable, international protection applicants, where applicable, and all other quali…
88. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people in Cavan Monaghan that are eligible for Fuel Allowance. [67384/26]
90. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration has been given to the way that eligibility reviews are communicated to persons in receipt of the State Pension (non-contributory), particularly given that these individuals are often vulnerable. [67603/26]
96. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures are being taken to ensure that social welfare recipients can transition into further education, apprenticeships and training programmes without suffering a loss of income that would discourage participation. [66712/26]
99. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons on invalidity pensions are eligible for fuel allowance; to outline the criteria for fuel allowance; and if any changes will be included in the upcoming budget. [67324/26]
116. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the qualifying eligibility and the rate of the living alone allowance. [67326/26]
370. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person aged under 66 years-of-age who moved from receiving an invalidity pension to a bereaved partners contributory pension is no longer eligible to receive the living alone increase; whether this distinction has been reviewed for fairness and equality; if he will consider amending legislation to include widows and widowers under 66 years…
371. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated full-year cost to the exchequer of increasing income limits for social housing by 20%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67152/26]
380. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the rationale for requiring a person undergoing a review of their disability allowance to provide details regarding other persons residing in their household, including the sources of income of those persons; the circumstances in which the income or financial circumstances of another household member, other than a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant,…
259. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person is eligible for the widow's pension when there is a safety order in place at the time of the death of their spouse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66110/26]
261. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person is eligible for the widows pension when there is a protection order in place at the time of the death of their spouse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66109/26]
264. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of a new online tool (details supplied) to assist people with income supports and information on same; if he could point to any available funding to maintain such an essential service, which is rapidly growing in it use to ensure it remains available to the public. [66129/26]
762. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the case of a person (details supplied); the reason the disability benefit application was refused on three separate occasions despite full medical evidence being submitted; if he will provide an update on the partial capacity benefit application now submitted. [64788/26]
441. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on a disability allowance application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52678/26]
443. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps he recommends for a carer's allowance applicant who meets all eligibility criteria but currently works over the 18.5-hour weekly limit, where the applicant intends to reduce their employment hours immediately upon approval but faces financial hardship preventing them from doing so before a formal decision is made; if a provisional or conditio…
461. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the case of a person (details supplied) who has had an application and appeals for disability allowance rejected; if the cited ECJ ruling is appropriate in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53322/26]
464. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a couple (details supplied) do not qualify for full time carer's allowance despite being pensioners earning a combined €32,000 but another couple who earn €110,000 would qualify for full time carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53428/26]
470. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway was not provided with an explanation as to the reason legitimate expenses were not taken into account by his Department during the review of their disability allowance; if detailed reasons will now be issued to the person stating the reason these legitimate expenses were disregarded,; and if he w…
348. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the eligibility rules whereby domiciliary care allowance (DCA) automatically ceases when a child turns 16, regardless of the child's continuing care needs; if he will consider extending DCA until the child's transition to disability allowance has been fully approved and implemented or continue the DCA allowance until child turns 18; and …
222. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 344 of 18 June 2026, to clarify if capital allowances, such as business-related expenses are deducted from self-employed income for the carer's allowance means test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48217/26]
480. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application for job seeker allowance for a person (details supplied) will be determined by his Department; the reason for the delay in finalising the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46989/26]
2. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will immediately abolish the income limit for carer’s allowance in view of the 2024 general election promises and the recent report regarding the difficulties experienced by carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46523/26]
22. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the progress his Department is making in relation to the phasing out of the means test for carer's allowance as committed to in the Programme for Government. [46036/26]
28. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will commit to fully abolishing the restrictive means test for carer’s allowance. [46328/26]