Tuesday, 20 Feb 2024

Written Answers Nos. 81-96

Community Employment Schemes

Questions (81)

David Stanton

Question:

81. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to expand and develop the community employment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7805/24]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

The aim of the Community Employment (CE) programme is to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and long-term unemployed people by providing work experience and training opportunities for them within their local communities on a temporary fixed term basis.

In addition to providing valuable occupational experience and training as a stepping-stone to employment for people who are unemployed, schemes such as CE also provide important and, in many cases essential, services to their local communities.

Given the strong labour market performance the number of unemployed people dependent on social welfare payments continues to fall. While this is very welcome, it also means that the number of candidates available for CE is reduced thereby creating a challenging recruitment environment. However, working together with CE sponsors, scheme changes have been made to increase participation which will help schemes continue to support their local communities.

Minister Heather Humphreys and I have announced a number of reforms and enhancements to CE since December 2021, including a provision to allow CE participants who reach 60 years of age to remain until they reach state pension age and introducing flexibilities to the CE candidate referral process to allow direct recruitment to fill 30% of places subject to certain conditions.

In addition, changes have been introduced to the eligibility criteria extending CE to the adult dependents of those in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance and a further extension is now planned to extend eligibility to customers who are signing on the live register for credits only.

I can assure the Deputy that the eligibility criteria, the duration timelines for participation and the referral process for CE continues to be kept under active review by my Department.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Eligibility

Questions (82, 90)

Richard Bruton

Question:

82. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider undertaking a pilot to inviting people to check if they are getting their full entitlements and targeting categories of persons who may be more likely to be missing out, perhaps in co-operation with other public bodies that may experience underpayment of benefits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7860/24]

Richard Bruton

Question:

90. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has considered initiatives to identify the extent of underclaiming of entitlements from her Department by categories such the low paid at work, by carers, and by pensioners, for whom rules of entitlement may be poorly understood; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7859/24]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 90 together.

My Department administers more than 90 separate schemes and services, which affect the lives of almost every person in the State. We are fully committed to ensuring that members of the public are fully aware of the welfare supports and services available, and to ensuring key changes are communicated to them.

Public information campaigns play an important role in achieving this objective. These campaigns include paid media, use of our social media channels to promote information organically, as well as engagement and information shared directly with other public bodies where relevant.

All advertising campaigns are tailored to ensure the best possible mix of media is used to effectively reach the target audience.

In 2023, my Department ran a public information campaign on changes to the State Pension Contributory specifically for long term carers and their entitlements. The target audience for our national media and social media advertising campaign were people who have either cared for, or are currently caring for, a family member or loved one on a long-term basis.

My Department also ran a public information campaign to raise awareness of the Fuel Allowance payment scheme from August to December 2023. The target audience was those on low income, who may qualify for the scheme subject to the compliance requirements regarding thresholds and qualifying payments, with an emphasis on the over 70s.

The ESRI’s analysis of the Working Family Payment, published last year using 2019 SILC data, estimated that 53% of eligible families claimed WFP in 2019.

Meanwhile, a nationwide public information campaign to promote the Working Family Payment scheme took place last year to help increase awareness of the payment among working families on low to moderate income especially those who may not be aware that they qualified for the payment. Another campaign is planned in 2024.

Officials from my Department also directly engage with stakeholders, including groups which represent lower paid, older and vulnerable communities.

Our Customer Representative Forum, which is a quarterly meeting, gives us the opportunity to engage with around 30 organisations and NGOs around Ireland who represent vulnerable communities and older people.

For more than 30 years my Department has hosted an annual Pre-Budget Forum, where the community, voluntary sector, and other stakeholders share their views on the measures that should be included in the upcoming budget.

We also hold a post-Budget briefing to update groups on the key measures announced as part of the social welfare package. We also host the Social Inclusion forum every year which brings together a wide variety of representative groups to highlight issues of concern and discusses issues concerning promotion and awareness of Departmental schemes and people's entitlements.

Meanwhile, as part of our commitments under the National Carers’ Strategy, we host the Annual Carers' Forum, which provides an opportunity for engagement between officials and people directly experiencing care issues.

Intreo is a service from my Department that offers a single point of contact for all employment and income supports. This includes providing information on all the income supports we provide including jobseeker’s payments, back to work and back to education payments, one-parent family payments and pensions.

My Department also funds the Citizens Information Board (CIB), which is a statutory agency tasked with providing independent, impartial, confidential, and non-judgmental information, advice, money advice and advocacy. CIB also acts as a signpost for people including vulnerable groups and older people and provides information in local Citizens Information Centres and through the Citizens Information website as well as periodicals and publications.

Departmental Data

Questions (83)

Pádraig O'Sullivan

Question:

83. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of families in Cork city and county that have benefited from the double child benefit payment in December 2023, and from the January 2024 cost of living bonus, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7774/24]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The information requested by the Deputy is provided in the attached tabular statement. These figures are based on the most recent customer address according to the administrative data available in my Department. The January 2024 cost of living bonus figure is a count of distinct individuals.Table 1: Recipients of the double Child Benefit payment and the January cost of living bonus in Cork

Bonus Payment	Recipients
Double Child Benefit Payment	72,143
January cost of living bonus	133,311

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (84, 368)

Ciarán Cannon

Question:

84. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the changes to child benefit for 18 year-olds. [7883/24]

Niamh Smyth

Question:

368. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on plans to extend child benefit for those continuing in secondary education but who have turned 18 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7558/24]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 84 and 368 together.

Child Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children up to the age of 16 years. Currently, the payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 18th birthday where they are in full-time education, or have a disability. In Budget 2024, the Government decided to extend the payment of Child Benefit to 18-year-olds who are in full-time education or have a disability. This was one of my key priorities in the Budget.

With many children now starting primary school at age 5, together with the increase in pupils doing transition year, there has been an increase in the number of 18-year-olds still in secondary education. I believe the extension of Child Benefit to 18-year-olds in full-time education is a long-term change for the better and will support families across Ireland into the future.

This is a significant change to the Child Benefit scheme. It requires technical and operational changes before implementation.

We had originally provided that the change would take effect from September this year. However, I am very pleased that we are now able to bring this important change in from an earlier date and I have secured Government approval to do that. As a result, the measure will be brought in from the first of May. In the region of 60,000 children are expected to benefit from this measure annually. The additional estimated cost of bringing the commencement date forward to May is €21.6 million.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Eligibility

Questions (85)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

85. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has considered whether illness benefit can be extended to self-employed persons. [7913/24]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Illness benefit is the primary short term income support provided by my Department to those who are unable to work due to illness of any type and who are covered by social insurance.

Eligibility for illness benefit depends on the person’s PRSI record and class. The person must have made the required number of contributions under class A, E, H or P to qualify.

In general, self-employed people make PRSI contributions at Class S which does not provide entitlement to illness benefit.

Illness benefit is funded by the Social Insurance Fund through PRSI contributions. The Fund is central to our social protection system and the Government needs to ensure that it can provide adequate and sustainable social insurance pensions and benefits for a growing and ageing population.

Self-employed people pay contributions to the Fund at a lower rate of 4%. This is 11 percentage points lower than the combined employer and employee contribution of 15.05% made in respect of employed contributors. However, self-employed contributors do have access to over 90% of benefits available to employed contributors including;

• Adoptive Benefit;

• Guardian's Payment (Contributory);

• Invalidity Pension;

• Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed);

• Maternity Benefit;

• Parent's Benefit;

• Partial Capacity Benefit (where in receipt of Invalidity Pension);

• Paternity Benefit;

• State Pension (Contributory);

• Treatment Benefit; and

• Widows, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension.

The only benefits that class S PRSI does not provide access to are carer's benefit, health and safety benefit, illness benefit and occupational injuries benefits.

In circumstances where people are ill but do not qualify for illness benefit, my Department provides means tested supports under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. An additional needs payment may also be available to people who have expenses that they cannot pay from their weekly income.

Any changes to the Illness Benefit scheme would need to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context, including the contribution rates for self-employed contributors.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Schemes

Questions (86)

David Stanton

Question:

86. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline her plans to expand and develop the Tús initiative; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7806/24]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

The Tús scheme provides work placements for a twelve-month period for those who are fully unemployed and on the live register for a year or more. This initiative helps break the cycle of long-term unemployment by providing a work routine and valuable work experience.

My Department is very conscious of the important role that the Tús scheme plays and is committed to supporting the programme. In addition to providing valuable occupational experience and training as a stepping-stone to employment for people who are unemployed, schemes such as Tús provide important and, in many cases, essential services to their local communities.

Given the continued strong labour market performance, the number of unemployed people dependent on social welfare payments has continued to fall, resulting in a reduction in the number of candidates available for referral to Tús.

A number of reforms and enhancements to Tús have been implemented, including:

• The eligibility criteria for Tús being extended to include persons 18 years and over who are in receipt of Disability Allowance.

• Since August 2022, it was also decided that a percentage of Tús exits could be further extended in certain circumstances for a maximum of six months. This measure was introduced to maintain the delivery of essential community services, whilst supporting the recruitment of new participants. This measure is in place until the end of June 2024 and under continuous review by the Department; thus, providing Tús Implementing Bodies with additional flexibility to retain participants, when required, to maintain services in communities where no replacement is immediately available.

• The extension of the criteria of those who can participate on Tús to temporary protection Ukrainian nationals living here.

The eligibility criteria for Tús continues to be kept under active review by this Department; thus, ensuring the best outcomes for participants while supporting the vital community services delivered by schemes in light of changes to the labour market.

I wish to re-iterate that the Department is fully committed to the future of employment support programmes such as Tús and will continue to support and improve the scheme, given the valuable contribution being made to local communities through the provision of services and for the benefit of eligible participants.

I trust that this clarifies the position for you.

Legislative Programme

Questions (87)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

87. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the legislative programme. [3501/24]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I am pleased to states that there are a number of legislative proposals that I intend to progress through the Oireachtas this year:

The Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 is currently before the Oireachtas and is expected to be enacted in the coming weeks. The main purpose of the Bill is to give legislative effect to changes to the social welfare system, which provide that child maintenance payments will no longer be assessed as means for social welfare purposes, and for the discontinuation of the liable relative provisions. This means that my Department will no longer seek to recoup a portion of claim costs from the non-resident parent in these cases. Removing these provisions does not replace or supersede the primary responsibility of parents to maintain their children. These provisions are being implemented on foot of the report of the Child Maintenance Review Group.

The Bill also provides for changes to the supports provided to beneficiaries of temporary protection.

The Bill also brings forward the date of the implementation of the Budget 2024 measure to extend Child Benefit payments to 18 year olds in full-time education or who have a disability. It will now be implemented in May 2024 which is four months earlier than announced on Budget Day.

The Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill is expected to be published in the coming weeks. Auto-enrolment is a quasi-mandatory pension system where employees, subject to certain parameters, are automatically enrolled into a retirement savings system that will be co-funded by their employer and by the State. The purpose of this measure is to increase pension coverage that will be supplementary to the State Pension.

The Civil Registration (Electronic Registration) Bill is currently being drafted and is expected to be published in the Spring session. The main purpose of the Bill is the introduction of an online process for registering births and deaths. The addition of the online customer service channel will provide a 24-hour service and give greater flexibility to parents and relatives around the registration of both births and deaths. However, the ability to register a birth or a death in person will continue to be available. The legislation will also ensure a more timely and efficient notification of deaths to the State.

The Social Welfare (Pay-Related Social Insurance and Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit Provisions) Bill is currently undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny and is expected to be published in the Spring session. Pay-related benefit means that the amount of unemployment benefit an eligible person receives is linked to their previous earnings, subject to a maximum payment. The intention is to provide a more effective cushion against the income shock when a person loses their employment. The Bill will also contain provisions to give effect to increases in employers’ and employees’ PRSI rates, on an incremental basis over the next five years, to provide sustainable funding for recently enacted reforms to the pensions system and for Pay-Related Benefit provisions that are contained in this Bill.

I also intend to introduce legislation, as soon as I can, to provide for changes to the Widow’s, Widower’s, and Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory Pension. In conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General, my officials are currently considering the very detailed O'Meara judgment to determine the appropriate legislative response.

Social Welfare Code

Questions (88)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

88. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection whether she has considered the situation of those providing kinship care, and the discrepancy between the financial supports provided to kinship carers by comparison to non-familial foster carers. [7915/24]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

One of the roles of my department is to provide income support to families with children in the State. Where a child is being cared for by someone other than their parents, the person looking after the child may apply for a guardians payment. The purpose of the guardian’s payment scheme is to provide income support in respect of those children whose parents are unable to provide for them, through death or other circumstances.

Guardian’s payment (contributory) and guardian’s payment (non-contributory) are, respectively, social insurance and social assistance (means-tested) payments made to a person caring for a child, where that child is defined as an orphan under social welfare legislation. These payments were known as orphan’s payments until they were re-named in July 2006, in recognition of the fact that the original remit of the scheme had been extended to include certain children who had not lost both parents through bereavement.

Guardians Payment is currently paid in respect of 2,389 children at the weekly rate of €215 per child: the highest rate of weekly child income support paid by my Department.

Responsibility for fostering arrangements rests with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and the provision of family support services lies with Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.

While it is acknowledged that there are perceived similarities between guardian’s payments and foster care allowance payments, the schemes differ fundamentally in their purpose. As outlined, the aim of the guardian’s payment scheme administered by my Department is the provision of income support. However, the Child and Family Agency in exercising its functions has a broader range of responsibilities and considerations in respect of children in the care of the State than the provision of income support alone.

Foster care allowance for a child up to 12 years is currently at the weekly rate of €350, increasing to €377 for those over 12 years. Any proposal to align the weekly rate of guardian’s payment to that of foster care allowance would have to be considered by Government in an overall budgetary context.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Medical Aids and Appliances

Questions (89)

Emer Higgins

Question:

89. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider allowing children suffering hair loss to avail of the grants for wigs based on their parents PRSI contributions. [7786/24]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

In general, medical or health related benefits fall within the remit of the Department of Health and the HSE. However, my Department administers the treatment benefit scheme which provides certain dental, optical, and medical appliances benefits to insured workers, the self-employed and retired people who have the required number of PRSI contributions. These treatments are also available to their dependent spouse or partner, if applicable.

As part of Budget 2022, I announced an expansion to the range of services available under the medical appliances strand of the treatment benefit scheme. A new grant was provided from May 2022 towards the cost of wigs and hairpieces for people who suffer from hair loss due to disease. The grant is subject to medical eligibility requirements in addition to the general eligibility requirements for treatment benefit.

The treatments covered under this grant include non-surgical hair replacement relating to hair loss on the scalp area e.g. wigs or hair pieces.

My Department keeps its schemes under regular review to make sure they meet their objectives. I have asked my officials to examine the feasibility of the Deputy's proposal.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Question No. 90 answered with Question No. 82.

Pension Provisions

Questions (91)

Niamh Smyth

Question:

91. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline the specifics regarding the pension entitlements being worked on for carers by her Department presently; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7584/24]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

This Government acknowledges the vital role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. Accordingly, the current State Pension (Contributory) system provides measures including PRSI credits, Home-making Disregards and Home Caring Periods to recognise caring periods of up to 20 years outside of paid employment in the calculation of a payment rate.

Despite these measures, some long-term carers of incapacitated dependants may still face barriers in accessing the State Pension Contributory. They may for example have difficulty establishing the minimum number of 10 year’s paid contributions.

Last year, legislation was enacted to implement a series of landmark reforms to the State Pension system as part of the Government's response to the Pensions Commission’s recommendations.

A key measure introduced is enhanced State Pension provision for people who have been caring for incapacitated dependents for over 20 years. It will do this by attributing the equivalent of a paid contribution to long-term carers to cover gaps in their contribution record.

This measure is available to individuals who reached State Pension age from 1 January 2024 and will also be available to people currently over pension age. They will be able to apply for these periods, but they will only receive a State Pension (Contributory) or enhanced pension from 1st January 2024 where eligible.

Last year, my Department launched an online system for people to register for long term caring contributions prior to reaching pensionable age to facilitate the expeditious processing of these periods to their contribution record.

I am very pleased that the legislation to give effect to these measures was enacted in December and the scheme came into operation on 1st January 2024.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (92)

Christopher O'Sullivan

Question:

92. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) who claimed jobseeker's benefit for self-employed and exhausted that benefit, is treated differently from a person who claimed jobseeker's benefit and exhausted that benefit when applying for the benefit for 65 year-olds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7803/24]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Benefit Payment for 65-Year-Olds, provided for under the Jobseeker's Benefit and Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed) schemes was introduced in line with the Programme for Government commitment to address the position of people who are required to or choose to retire at age 65 before the pension age of 66. The payment is designed to bridge the gap for people who retire from employment or self-employment at age 65 until they qualify for the State Pension at age 66.

To be eligible for the payment a person must satisfy the qualifying conditions of the relevant scheme including the PRSI social insurance contribution requirements. The application of PRSI towards self-employment differs from that under PAYE employment. In recognition of that difference, if a self-employed individual is liable to a compulsory PRSI payment, they are awarded the full annual complement of 52 Class S contributions.

The re-qualifying conditions for the Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed) requires that a person has qualifying contributions in respect of 52 self-employment contribution weeks since the last week for which he or she was entitled to that benefit, and that a minimum of 12 months has elapsed since the last week for which he or she was entitled to that benefit.

A person that does not meet the conditions for Benefit Payment for 65-Year-Olds may be eligible for the means-tested Jobseeker's Allowance scheme.

I trust that clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Pension Provisions

Questions (93)

Matt Carthy

Question:

93. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection if, in light of recent court judgments, she intends to provide State pension entitlements to the long-term non-married partners of deceased persons. [7885/24]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Under the law as currently enacted, entitlement to a Widows, Widowers or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory pension is only available to a surviving partner who was party to a marriage or civil partnership.

On Monday 22nd January the Supreme Court delivered its judgment in relation to the entitlement of an unmarried co-habitant to a Widows, Widowers or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory pension. The Supreme Court judgment overruled a previous High Court decision and found in favour of the claimant and his children.

In simple terms the Court has found that section 124 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended) is inconsistent with the Constitution insofar as it excluded the claimant from the category of persons entitled to benefit from it. The Court reached that conclusion on the basis of the equality guarantee contained in Article 40.1 of the Constitution. The Supreme Court judgment notes that in order to resolve the issue raised by the judgment, a legislative amendment is required.

My officials and the Office of the Attorney General are now considering the very detailed judgment, including the legislative changes required to respond to this decision. This will be done with all expediency.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Poverty Impact Assessment

Questions (94)

Paul Murphy

Question:

94. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will carry out a poverty impact assessment of extending child benefit to 16, 17 and 18 year-olds not in full-time education or training; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7896/24]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Child Benefit is an almost universal monthly payment made to families with children up to the age of 16 years. Currently, the payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 18th birthday where they are in full-time education, or have a disability.

In Budget 2024, the Government decided to extend the payment of Child Benefit to 18-year-olds who are in full-time education or have a disability. This was one of my key priorities in the Budget.

This is a significant change to the Child Benefit scheme. It requires technical and operational changes before implementation. We had originally provided that the change would take effect from September this year. However, I am very pleased that we are now able to bring this important change in from an earlier date and I have secured Government approval to do that.

It is expected that in the region of 60,000 children will benefit from this measure. The additional estimated cost of bringing the commencement date forward to May is €21.6 million.

There are currently no plans to extend Child Benefit in respect of 16, 17 or 18 year olds who are not in full-time education or training. As such I do not intend to carry out a Poverty Impact Assessment at present.

Where a child has a disability, Child Benefit continues to be payable until the child's 18th birthday whether or not the child is in full-time education and this is now being extended until the child's 19th birthday.

Families on low incomes may be able to avail of a number of social welfare schemes that support children up to age 18, whether or not they are in full time education:

• Increase for a Qualified Child with primary social welfare payments; and

• the Working Family Payment for low-paid employees with children.

These schemes provide targeted assistance that is directly linked to household income and thereby support low-income families with children.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.

Departmental Reviews

Questions (95, 108)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

95. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection when it is intended to introduce changes to means testing based on the report being prepared by her Department on means testing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7780/24]

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

108. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made to date with the review of means testing of social protection schemes; when the report arising from this review will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7779/24]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 108 together.

My Department keeps means tests under regular review and there have been a number of significant changes made in this area in recent years.

These include:

• Providing for higher earnings disregards for Disability Allowance, Blind Pension and One-Parent Family.

• Expanding the list of agri-environmental schemes that qualify for a disregard, which was increased in recent Budgets.

• The introduction of the Rent a Room disregard, to enable recipients to support those arriving from Ukraine, and others, in a tight housing market.

• In 2023, I introduced significant changes to means eligibility rules for Fuel Allowance which have resulted in over 35,000 additional households joining the scheme so far.

• In 2022, I significantly increased the income and capital disregards for Carer's Allowance. This enables more carers with modest incomes to become eligible for the scheme and allows carers and their families to earn more from employment while retaining their payment. As part of Budget 2024 I further increased the disregard to €450 for a single person, and €900 for couples from June of this year.

• I recently introduced an income disregard linked to UCD's largest scholarship programme;

I have initiated a review of means testing in the Department and this review is underway. It is aimed to be completed in Quarter 1, 2024 and for it to be submitted for my consideration. It is my intention that the report will be published once I have considered it in detail. I will use the outcome of the review to inform decisions regarding any further changes to means testing, including in the run up to Budget 2025.

As I am sure the Deputy is aware, all prospective changes to means testing arrangements have to be considered in both an overall policy and budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Question No. 96 answered with Question No. 61.