Social Welfare Schemes

90. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of employers currently availing of the wage subsidy scheme, WSS, the number of employees employed in companies that avail of the WSS; the number of companies that avail of strand 2 of the WSS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21677/25]

91. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection when the means test for carer’s allowance will be abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20503/25]

106. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will explore the possibility of reducing the minimum hours of the wage subsidy scheme from 15 hours to ten hours (details supplied). [19846/25]

1379. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications registered per operational scheme for the period of 2020 to 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18613/25]

1380. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of claims per operation scheme awarded for the period of 2020 to 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18614/25]

1381. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications refused, per operational scheme, for the period of 2020 to 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18615/25]

1382. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of decision reviews requested, per operational scheme, for the period of 2020 to 2024, in tabular from; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18616/25]

1383. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of decisions upheld upon review, per operational scheme for the period 2020 to 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18617/25]

1413. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection the process by which his Department will contact all those aged 70 years or over in receipt of free travel; the way they will receive a FREE TRAVEL COMPANION PUBLIC SERVICES CARD; if his Department has commenced same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19261/25]

2457. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health her plans to add Addison’s disease to the long-term illness scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21120/25]

289. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection in relation to invalidity pension, if a change has taken place with regard to the application criteria from ‘incapable to work for the following 12-month period’ to ‘incapable to work permanently’; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18094/25]

291. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Social Protection if he intends to revise the fee paid to optometrists under the PRSI benefit scheme; if so, the status of these plans; the timeline for its implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18171/25]

292. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is an age limit for the new baby grant concerning adoptive children; what the age limit is; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18201/25]

293. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the new income disregard for the carer’s allowance that will come into effect on July 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18202/25]

294. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if the homemaker’s scheme also covers households where parents are unmarried but a qualified cohabiting couple; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18203/25]

296. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has decided to review supports for workers who are put on short-time work in the context of the impact on workers and businesses of the tariffs announced by the US President on 2 April; if he will consider introducing a scheme similar to the German Kurzarbeit scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18269/25]

297. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is considering a PRSI rebate for SME’s to help them deal with increased costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18284/25]

298. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department will provide more clarity on the availability of welfare priority for care leavers under exceptional social grounds in situations where they are at risk of homelessness. [18299/25]

299. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reasoning for having a cut-off point of 28 March for the pay-related job benefits scheme; why people who lost their jobs before this date are excluded from the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18347/25]

255. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients currently in receipt of both the one parent family payment and the half rate carer’s allowance; the number of these recipients who will lose their entitlement to these payments in 2025 due to their child turning 16; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16328/25]

256. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on the extension of the homeowner's once-off payment in respect of 2024 mortgage interest payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16339/25]

509. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a social welfare applicant (details supplied) in Dublin 9; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15402/25]

521. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection to clarify the welfare entitlements available to a family providing full-time care for their child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15680/25]

101. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on the review for a humanitarian assistance scheme application for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14236/25]

103. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the humanitarian assistance scheme application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14337/25]