1275. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will increase the living alone allowance in Budget 2027, in recognition of the increasing cost of living in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43815/26]
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
1278. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an ongoing review of the rate payable under the living alone allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43852/26]
1280. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the engagement he has had with a NGO or charity in relation to the rate payable under the living alone allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43854/26]
1281. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if the rate payable under the living alone allowance is under consideration in the context of budget negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43855/26]
1284. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to an increase in the living alone allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43942/26]
1628. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated first year and full year cost of increasing the weekly foster care allowance by €1. [43102/26]
736. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2027 if the living alone allowance increased to €28.50 per week. [38792/26]
584. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has undertaken any comparative analysis between increases in Fuel Allowance and the static electricity/gas allowance, including whether one scheme is intended to compensate for the other; and if he will provide details. [33025/26]
585. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether an impact assessment has been conducted on recipients of the Household Benefits Package who do not qualify for Fuel Allowance, and the extent to which these households may face a gap in energy support. [33026/26]
19. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will equalise rates of jobseeker's allowance for young people so that age is no longer a factor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31415/26]
343. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection when the core child benefit rate was last increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31513/26]
344. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration is being given to increasing the core child benefit rate, which remains at €140 per month, noting that other child-related supports were enhanced in Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31514/26]
352. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review and increase the current €30 per week initial means disregard applied to the State pension (non-contributory), for those in receipt of part of an occupational pension, in light of rising living costs and the impact on low-income older people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31555/26]
353. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will undertake a review of the means assessment applied to recipients of the State pension (non-contributory) who also receive an occupational pension, with particular consideration of assessing 50% of that income to ensure a fairer and more proportionate system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31556/26]
167. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will increase the HAP limits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17644/26]
179. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to review HAP limits for each local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17483/26]
257. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if an increase to housing assistance payment rent limits is being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17484/26]
578. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will increase the HAP limits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15628/26]
3. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to equalise the youth jobseeker’s rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15403/26]
725. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Social Protection the research his Department has carried out in respect of assessing the adequacy of social protection payments; the comparative research that has been carried out; the differential calculations used to determine that €325 if the minimum required for artists to survive on the basic income, as against claimants in receipt of the disability allowance; and …
692. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will re-examine the national guidelines in relation to exceptional needs payments for household furnishings, appliances and equipment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3709/26]
1543. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection further to parliamentary question No. 179 of 11 June 2025, when the review of means testing in the social protection system will be completed; if he now intends to amend the current weekly means limit for the increase for qualified adult allowance for recipients of the State pension and to increasing the current means limit of €100 which has been in pl…
319. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is concerned that the youth unemployment rate of 13.4% is almost treble the national unemployment rate of 4.9%; if he will consider introducing new programmes or amending existing programmes to assist young people into work; if he is satisfied with uptake of the work placement experience scheme in light of these figures; if he will confirm th…
244. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will give due consideration to changing the current discriminatory practice which grants a half rate of carer’s allowance to recipients of maternity benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70681/25]
654. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection his position on benchmarking social welfare rates against average earnings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61042/25]