Social Welfare Eligibility

737. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection his position regarding the carer's allowance application by a person (details supplied).; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38803/26]

759. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection if an otherwise valid ARP claim may be refused solely because his Department's internal “one-application-at-a-time” restriction prevented an applicant from submitting an ARP application that was attempted on 1 March 2026, in respect of a hosting arrangement that commenced on that same date which was prior to the legislative change t…

760. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department is entitled, in such circumstances, to treat the later date of receipt (arising only because the system blocked the earlier submission attempt) as the legally relevant date for determining eligibility under the amended ARP rules. [39874/26]

761. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection to examine an application for disability allowance submitted to his Department by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39921/26]

762. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection to clarify the rules around eligibility for fuel allowance while on long-term SWA; if an individual is eligible for fuel allowance if they are waiting for a decision on another payment whose application has been ongoing for two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39948/26]

773. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the correspondence (details supplied); whether a dependent child aged 21 and in full-time third-level education can be included as a qualified child on a jobseeker's allowance claim; whether the person concerned is entitled to claim jobseeker's allowance in their own right during the summer months [40299/26]

182. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a retained, part-time firefighter would have to leave the fire service to attain full-time employment in the event of being unable to obtain another part-time job as per their jobseeker's benefit agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38253/26]

675. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Social Protection whether foster carers qualify for the Christmas bonus. [37117/26]

676. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the rationale for the requirement that a person must have at least 26 paid PRSI contributions in each of the governing contribution years to qualify for treatment benefit, regardless of a substantial lifetime contribution record; whether consideration has been given to alternative qualifying conditions that better recognise long-te…

683. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he is considering reform or abolition of the partner means test for disability allowance; the reason disability allowance is treated differently from invalidity pension in relation to a partner's income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37345/26]

684. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person on disability allowance and in receipt of a free travel pass, on taking up employment will have no restrictions on retaining this travel pass as they have a long-term disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37378/26]

707. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied); if he will advise on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37725/26]

708. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the eligibility criteria for disability allowance with regard to the current means test where a partner's or spouse's means is also taken into account, and only assess the disabled person in their own right, giving them independence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37735/26]

709. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection to clarify if an individual resident in Ireland on stamp 1 permission becomes incapacitated due to illness is eligible to apply for disability allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37737/26]

401. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will urgently review the case of a person (details supplied); if the family concerned qualify for the grant in question; if he will outline what other supports may be available in the circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35895/26]

750. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if long Covid and associated incapacity to work is recognised by his Department as eligible grounds for invalidity pension. [33981/26]

753. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he will review the current disability allowance means test and earnings thresholds; whether any assessment has been undertaken of the impact of these thresholds on persons with chronic illness or disabilities who are in employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34310/26]

765. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if a constituent (details supplied) is forbidden from getting a second Community Welfare Payment when moving into a council house, 14-years after getting a payment when moving into their previous council house; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35053/26]

768. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the continued means testing of the carer's allowance, given that caring is a constant, full time role that does not operate on defined hours or shift patterns, and places significant mental, physical and emotional demands on carers; if he accepts that the current system does not adequately reflect the value of unpa…

359. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Social Protection whether it is intended that individuals who contribute to pay full PRSI contributions after age 66, while deferring their State pension, may be excluded from treatment benefit due to the operation of the ‘relevant tax year rule’; and if his Department plans on addressing this inconsistency; and if he will make a statement on the matt…

369. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the eligibility criteria for fuel allowance, particularly in cases where an applicant is an adult in receipt of disability allowance but is assessed on a household means basis due to living with parents and the person is financially independent but cannot live alone due to the impact of a disability; and if he…

370. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given in Budget 2027 to the introduction of greater flexibility or individual means assessment in cases where the person is financially independent but cannot live alone due to the impact of a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33937/26]

371. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline any plans to ensure that individuals in circumstances where the person is financially independent but cannot live alone due to the impact of a disability are not excluded from supports intended to address fuel poverty and vulnerability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33938/26]

554. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Social Protection to consider extending the eligibility criteria for the fuel allowance scheme to include people on short-term payment schemes such as jobseekers benefit.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31810/26]

558. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the eligibility criteria for the electricity allowance under the household benefits package; if medical dependency on electricity is considered in eligibility decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31913/26]