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]
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
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 unpaid care work or the …
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 matter. [33748/26]
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 will make a stateme…
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]
562. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are plans to change the eligibility criteria for the back-to-work enterprise allowance scheme to include individuals who are signing on for PRSI credits but who do not receive a payment due to means; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32034/26]
564. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a worker who paid Class A PRSI contributions up to 2022 (details supplied) before becoming self-employed, is excluded from illness benefit during a short term illness despite having a substantial contribution record; if he accepts that this creates a gap in income protection for self-employed individuals; and if he will outline any plans t…
570. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection for assistance in relation to an invalidity pension application for a person (details supplied). [32452/26]
572. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a payment for a person (details supplied); if there is an update on a review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32850/26]
573. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the process for primary and secondary school teachers with temporary/substitute contracts to apply for jobseeker's benefit during the holiday periods where they do not receive payment from the Department of Education and Youth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32959/26]
574. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection to establish a system in which education sector workers who claim jobseeker's payment during the summer months, Christmas holidays, Easter holidays and mid-term breaks could apply for this benefit weeks in advance of said holidays, to facilitate their applications being processed prior to the break in payment; and if he will make a statement on the mat…
575. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection if a process will be considered where seasonal workers, including teachers with temporary contracts, can apply for jobseeker's benefit in advance of the summer, allowing their payment decision to be paid before their contract ends; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32961/26]
578. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if assistance can be provided regarding a disability allowance application (details supplied). [32973/26]
588. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection if assistance can be offered to the processing of an ARP application for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33040/26]
589. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider increasing the means-test threshold for the supplementary welfare allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33075/26]
590. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection to examine the case of an individual (details supplied) regarding a State Pension (non-contributory); if a senior official from his Department can engage with the family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33144/26]