Social Welfare Schemes

1538. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost to fully restore the cuts made from 2010 to the DTSS and DTBS schemes and to the public dental service for children and people with additional needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74562/25]

1541. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide a cost estimate for extending the free travel pass to children in receipt of the domiciliary care allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74642/25]

1542. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to automatically granting invalidity pension to those with a diagnosis of cancer for the duration of their treatment and the time they are unable to work as a result of their cancer, provided they meet the PRSI credits requirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74709/25]

1545. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on the merits of eliminating the means test for the carer’s allowance; the research his Department has carried out into this proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74849/25]

1547. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools in Donegal that have applied for the school meals scheme for the 2025-2026 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74887/25]

1571. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of work to introduce a cost of disability payment; when he expects to move from research and design to implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1594/26]

1572. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has undertaken an assessment of the cumulative impact of Budget 2026 measures on households where a person is in receipt of disability allowance, particularly those living alone; and if he will publish any such analysis. [1595/26]

1573. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration has been given to targeted transitional or seasonal supports for people with disabilities following the withdrawal of once-off cost-of-living payments provided in Budget 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1596/26]

1574. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection whether the adequacy of the fuel allowance for people with disabilities, particularly those with higher heating needs, has been reviewed in light of winter energy costs; and if additional targeted measures are under consideration. [1597/26]

1575. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will give consideration to the introduction of a targeted winter payment for people with disabilities to address additional disability-related costs during peak winter months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1598/26]

1576. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the mechanisms in place to monitor the risk of poverty and social exclusion among people with disabilities following Budget 2026; and the way in which these align with Ireland's obligations under the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities. [1599/26]

240. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports and activation measures in place to enable and assist long-term welfare recipients to re-enter the workforce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70561/25]

170. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review and expand the level of support provided under the treatment benefit scheme for individuals requiring audiological supports, including hearing aids, or those living with congenital deafness given that lifetime costs for such supports can exceed €50,000 compared to the current €1,000 provision; and if he will make …

363. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans for an emergency winter support for residents on disability allowance and similar schemes to offset the deficit created by the withdrawal of the 2025 cost of living measures. [67374/25]

364. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection the timeline for the introduction of the cost of disability payment. [67375/25]

390. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department provides any financial supports to farmers who are injured and cannot work on their farm due to injury (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66862/25]

414. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the treatment of compensation payments awarded under historical Northern Ireland criminal injuries schemes, such as the Criminal Injuries (Compensation) (Northern Ireland) Order 1977, where such awards relate specifically to injuries sustained as a result of troubles related violence; and if he will consider exte…

173. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if a request (details supplied) can receive consideration in view of the person's medical circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64038/25]

549. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the rollout of a social housing passport to allow persons on social housing waiting lists to change local authority without losing time on the list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62732/25]

77. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the current annual cost of the disability allowance and invalidity pensions schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62284/25]

346. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection whether funding exists to cover the cost for a deaf person who wishes to use an Irish sign language interpreter to engage with a TD or local elected official; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62313/25]

644. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans to extend the treatment purchase scheme (hair replacement) to cover more than the five types of alopecia currently on the scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61717/25]

661. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has examined how existing maternity and illness benefit schemes could be extended or adapted to provide income support to workers who experience pregnancy loss; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61385/25]

663. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the back to education allowance does not allow for a second Erasmus year (details supplied); if he will consider changing the scheme to allow for a second year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61631/25]

690. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures his Department will take to support households facing increased energy and housing costs, particularly low-income and vulnerable groups; the number of persons that have benefitted to date from targeted schemes such as the fuel allowance and supplementary welfare allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. …