Social Welfare Schemes

616. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport his plans to support those currently on the basic income for the arts scheme which is due to end in February 2026 whereas the permanent scheme is due to start in September 2026 leaving a gap of seven months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14741/26]

712. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review correspondence (details supplied); the status of the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14588/26]

713. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason recipients, despite being required to provide at least 35 hours of care per week over five to seven days subject to DSP assessment, receive a payment that is significantly below the minimum wage for an equivalent number of hours (details supplied); if he will consider reviewing the hourly payment level of carer’s allowan…

714. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the amount awarded in jobseeker's benefit for a person (details supplied). [14670/26]

718. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review correspondence (details supplied); the status of the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14803/26]

723. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications received, awarded and approved for supplementary welfare allowance grants in relation to fuel poverty and assistance with payment of outstanding energy bills over the past five years, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15010/26]

729. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on a case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15172/26]

840. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications received under the work and access scheme in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; the number of applications approved in each of these years to date; the amount expended on the scheme in the same respective time periods, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11667/26]

841. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications made for each of the respective seven supports under the work and access scheme to date; the number of these applications approved; the number declined; the number pending a decision; the amount expended under each support to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11668/…

842. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of employees and employers currently utilising and benefiting from the wage subsidy scheme; the number of employers availing of strand 2 and strand 3 of the scheme; if an increase in the overall number utilising the scheme has occurred since the minimum weekly hours threshold was reduced in April 2024; and if so…

843. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the breakdown, by employer size, (micro, small, medium and large) accessing, respectively, the work and access and wage subsidy schemes administered by his Department; the details of the supports provided to each employer category, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11670/26]

844. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection if numbers and details of use of the wage subsidy scheme and the work and access scheme, and the associated supports are monitored by his Department; if such statistics are or will be published on a routine basis; if so, to give details; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11671/26]

439. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if the Government will consider extending and reforming a social protection payment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11150/26]

729. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection whether compensation following an accident is taken into consideration during the income assessment for disability allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8122/26]

730. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on his plans to reform the disability allowance and remove anomalies in the means test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8123/26]

735. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason his Department is putting resources into reviewing existing carers allowance applications given the move towards abolishing the means test for this payment; if his attention has been drawn to the stress that carers experience when they receive letters which indicate that their means are being review and that they may h…

736. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on plans to abolish the carers allowance means test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8266/26]

318. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people, by county, who availed of their entitlement under the treatment benefit scheme in respect of the €500 grant towards a hearing aid in each year 2020-2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7157/26]

319. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people, by county, who availed of their entitlement under the treatment benefit scheme in respect of optical support, broken down by free eye tests, free glasses and grants towards contact lenses for each of the years 2020-2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7158/26]

320. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people, by county, who availed of their entitlement under the treatment benefit scheme in respect of the €500 grant for wigs for each of the years 2020-2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7159/26]

321. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people, by county, who availed of their entitlement under the treatment benefit scheme in respect of dental work for each of the years 2020-2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7160/26]

683. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection the engagement his Department has had with women’s organisations regarding concerns that the qualified adult system classifies women as dependants; whether these concerns will inform future reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5462/26]

687. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will investigate the calculation of means of a couple (details supplied) with regard to their disability allowance claim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5591/26]

706. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider broadening the scope of Catherine's Law to cover all scholarships to third level education (details supplied); if he will provide clarity on how his Department distinguishes between the various scholarships for exemption; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6366/26]

707. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the winter supports currently available to people with disabilities; whether additional targeted measures are under consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6386/26]