114. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the rate of the electricity allowance payable under the household benefits package in light of ongoing increases in household energy costs; whether any increase in the allowance is under consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74940/26]
Topics / Social Welfare Rates
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsSocial Welfare Rates
129 questions from 47 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 21 October 2026.
129
questions
127 written, 2 oral
47
TDs have asked
10
parties and groups
Independents counted together
3
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 | 1 |
| February 2025 | 6 |
| March 2025 | 6 |
| April 2025 | 2 |
| May 2025 | 7 |
| June 2025 | 7 |
| July 2025 | 36 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 7 |
| October 2025 | 5 |
| November 2025 | 3 |
| December 2025 | 2 |
| January 2026 | 2 |
| February 2026 | 2 |
| March 2026 | 4 |
| April 2026 | 5 |
| May 2026 | 3 |
| June 2026 | 19 |
| July 2026 | 7 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 1 |
| October 2026 | 4 |
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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17
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9
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6
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6
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5
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5
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4
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
497. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated real-terms change in the value of core weekly social welfare rates in 2027, following the €10 increase announced in Budget 2027, given HICP inflation of 3.2 per cent in 2026 and forecast inflation of 3.0 per cent in 2027 as set out in the Budget 2027 expenditure report. [71858/26]
383. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the rates of jobseeker's allowance, jobseeker's benefit and the contributory and (non-contributory pensions) in each year from 2012 to date. [69768/26]
385. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full year cost if the living alone allowance increased by €6 per week. [69808/26]
101. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will increase carer’s allowance and carer’s benefit to €325 per week. [67667/26]
285. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the additional yearly cost of increasing weekly rates for carer’s allowance for all up to €350 per week per person in care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53972/26]
454. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has examined the introduction of a graduated or phased reduction in jobseeker's payments based on duration of claim; if so, the details of any such examination, including costings and impact assessments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52913/26]
455. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection whether any proposals have been considered by his Department within the past five years to alter rates of jobseeker's payments based on the length of time a claimant has been in receipt of the payment; and if he will provide details of any such proposals, reviews or assessments. [52914/26]
458. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Social Protection the exact number of recipients of carer's allowance who are currently in receipt of a reduced rate of payment rather than the maximum rate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53113/26]
469. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department plans to increase the household benefits package. [53591/26]
474. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the additional cost of introducing a double payment for the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance for qualifying children entering transition year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53670/26]
350. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated of the first year and full year cost of a €10 increase to payments (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50462/26]
533. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider an increase in the rate of carer’s allowance in Budget 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49031/26]
535. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if an increase in the rate of disability allowance is planned as part of Budget 2027; the level of any increase being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49156/26]
348. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Social Protection to consider making changes (details supplied) to the carer’s benefit payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48721/26]
7. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will give consideration to changing the living alone allowance in the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46357/26]
14. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection to give consideration to increasing the living alone allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46330/26]
1177. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the child benefit payment to €166 per month its previous peak level; and if he will provide a breakdown of the cost per additional €10 increase in the payment. [42060/26]
1223. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection for the first year and full year cost of increasing jobseeker’s allowance by €1. [43113/26]
1224. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection for the first year and full year cost of increasing the State pension by €1. [43114/26]
1225. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection for the first year and full year cost of increasing qualified child payment for over and under 12s by €1. [43116/26]
1235. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the first year and full year cost of increasing the State pension by €1 per week per person. [43128/26]
1236. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the additional first year and full-year cost of increasing the living alone allowance. [43130/26]
1242. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the current rate of the living alone allowance; the most recent occasion there was an increase in this allowance; if he will consider an increase to this allowance in budget 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43142/26]
1260. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide a full comparison between current weekly disability related payments, including disability allowance, invalidity pension and disablement benefit, and the national minimum wage equivalent annual income; if he accepts that current payment levels place many people with physical impairments in poverty; and his plans to increase these pa…