Written Answers Nos. 516-535
516. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection what happens to non-binary gender recognition on legal documents in Ireland if individuals have been legally recognised as non-binary and received an appropriate gender marker on other EU legal documents, such as passports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15551/25]
View answerThe Gender Recognition Act 2015 sets out the process behind the legal recognition of a change in gender from "male" to "female" or from "female" to "male" genders only.
The recognition of a document containing a non-binary marker from another EU state is a matter to be determined by the department, or body, that a person holding such a document interacts with.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
517. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection the utilisation options for the money paid by people in pension contributions when it is established that their contributions do not reach the 520 threshold to qualify for a contributory pension; if this money is invested; if the person who paid for the contribution can access the contributions along with the investment funds accrued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15574/25]
View answerThe social welfare system is primarily a contingency-based system where entitlement to benefits is based on a number of defined contingencies such as sickness, unemployment, old age or bereavement and having sufficient social insurance contributions over a working lifetime.
There are two basic principles which underpin the Irish social insurance system.Firstly, there is the contributory principle. Under this principle there is a direct link between the PRSI contributions that a person has paid and entitlement to a range of benefits and pensions. Where a person has sufficient PRSI contributions, then benefits and pensions may be paid, where a particular contingency arises and without a means test.Secondly, there is the solidarity principle. Under this principle the benefits and pensions that are paid are not directly related to the amount of PRSI contributions paid by insured persons. PRSI contribution income is instead redistributed to support contributors who are more vulnerable.
In this regard, all contributions from employees, employers, and the self-employed are paid into the Social Insurance Fund which helps to finance the wide range of contributory social insurance benefits, pensions and other payments. Where the cost of benefits exceeds the amount of contributions available in the Fund, the Exchequer provides a subvention to ensure that benefit obligations are met.
It should be noted that some PRSI contributors do not experience all of the contingencies during their life. For example, one contributor may never require access to invalidity pension, whereas it may be a crucial support for another.
However, a person entering insurable employment after turning age 56 may be entitled to a refund of the pension-related element of their PRSI contributions, due to that person's potential inability to ever build up the minimum number of contributions (520) required for the state pension (contributory). Such a person may apply to my Department’s Refunds Section for this refund. The statutory four year limitation on refunds does not apply in these cases.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
518. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection if any financial supports are available for children's eyecare costs (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15613/25]
View answerIn general, medical or health related benefits, including those relating to eyecare, fall within the remit of the Department of Health and the HSE. My Department administers the treatment benefit scheme which provides dental, optical, and medical appliances benefits to insured workers, the self-employed and retired people.
Treatment benefit is an insurance-based scheme which provides benefits to eligible contributors towards the provision of treatment and appliances. These treatments are also available to their dependent spouse or partner, if applicable. Benefits under the scheme are only available to adults and cannot be claimed in respect of their children.
I have no plans to bring children within the scope of the treatment benefit scheme. Any changes to the current scheme would need to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
520. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he intends to review the means testing criteria for carer’s allowance during the current Government's term; if so, if he will provide details of the plan for this review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15679/25]
View answerThe Government is very aware of the key role that family carers play in Irish society and the challenges they face and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role.
There have been a number of significant improvements made to the income thresholds in the means test in recent years. As part of Budget 2025, the weekly income disregard will increase in July from €450 to €625 for a single person, and from €900 to €1,250 for carers with a spouse or partner. This will make the scheme accessible to more people.
The Programme for Government has set out a timeline which commits to review and significantly further increasing the income disregards for Carer’s Allowance in each Budget with a view to gradually phasing out the means test during the lifetime of the Government.
I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
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]
View answerCarer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.
I can confirm that full rate CA has been in payment to the person concerned since 12 January 2017.
As part of Budget 2025, CA has become a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance with effect from January 2025. Qualification is subject to meeting all criteria of the Fuel Allowance scheme including satisfying the Fuel Allowance means test. The person concerned can apply for Fuel Allowance by completing an NFS1 application form. This has been forwarded by post to their address, along with a return envelope for their convenience. The completed application should be returned to: Fuel Allowance, Carer's Allowance Section, Ballinalee Road, Longford, Co Longford, N39 E4E0.
The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme is a means-tested, once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn. The scheme operates from June to September each year. Applications for the 2025 Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance will open in June this year. The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance section can be contacted by phoning 0818-111113 or 071-9193318, or by emailing BSCFA@welfare.ie.
Additional supports available to Carers awarded CA include:
• The Carer’s Support Grant (CSG), an annual single payment of €2,000 for each care recipient, paid automatically to those entitled to CA on the first Thursday in June.
• A free travel pass for the person receiving CA.
The person concerned may wish to visit their local Intreo office where they will be able to assist with any queries or on further entitlements that may be due.
All schemes, including CA, are subject to periodic control reviews and continuing eligibility checks to ensure that recipients continue to satisfy the conditions for the scheme. In this particular case, a review was initiated on 15 November 2024.
A further information request pertaining to the review issued to the person concerned on 11 March 2025. To date, the person concerned has not furnished the requested documents. These documents should be returned as soon as possible.
Upon receipt of the information requested and following the necessary investigations in relation to all aspects of the review, the person concerned will be notified directly in writing of the outcome.
At all times, repeated requests for information are minimised and every effort is made to conduct and complete reviews as quickly as possible to avoid causing any undue stress to people.
I hope this information is of assistance to the Deputy.
522. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will address the concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied); if he will award credit for caring role played by applicant and the special circumstances of this case to award contributory pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15690/25]
View answerThe person concerned reached pension age on 25 July 2014. An application for State Pension (contributory) has not been received in my Department. To be eligible for the state pension (contributory), an individual must have at least 520 paid contributions. The records of my Department show the person concerned has 312 paid contributions from 1993/94 to 2013 which falls short of the minimum requirement. Recipients of farm assist/jobseekers allowance (formerly unemployment assistance) were exempted from paying PRSI on their self-employment incomes (up to 31 December 2006). Accordingly, no Class S contributions were due in respect of the tax years 1999/00 to 2006 (inclusive) for the person concerned.
It is not open to the person concerned to pay voluntary contributions as they do not meet the criteria.A number of reforms were introduced to the state Pension (contributory) including a provision for people who have been caring for incapacitated dependents for over 20 years (1,040 weeks). If the person concerned has been caring for incapacitated dependents for over 20 years, it is open to them to apply for long-term carers contributions (LTCC). If the criteria are met, the equivalent of paid contributions may be attributed to cover gaps in their contribution record. The periods of caregiving do not need to be consecutive. I have arranged for a pension caring supports application form to issue to the person concerned.
The person concerned is currently in receipt of a reduced rate state pension (non-contributory) of €230.50 plus €22 increase for living alone, €33 fuel allowance and €2,50 telephone support allowance. On foot of the information received in your representation, my Department will review the state pension (non-contributory).
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
523. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Social Protection the support available to those who face significant travel expenses in order to attend hospital appointments in another county (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15713/25]
View answerUnder the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my Department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or other personal and household resources. This can include assistance with transport costs incurred for attending hospital appointments where there are no other supports available.
The decision process involves consideration of the need presented and the ability of the person and their household to meet that need. This entails an assessment, as opposed to a specific means test, of an applicant’s weekly household income, their savings and investments, their outgoings and the type of assistance needed.
In considering an Additional Needs Payment application for assistance with transport costs incurred for attending hospital appointments, the Community Welfare Officer considers any alternatives available to the customer, including transport services offered by the Health Service Executive, other community development initiatives and the applicant's access to the Free Travel Scheme.
The Free Travel Scheme allows persons to travel, free of charge, on all public transport owned by the State. This includes bus, rail, Local Link, and the Luas, with some exceptions. Free travel is also available on some services operated by private bus and ferry transport operators.
Any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office. In addition, applications can be made online via www.mywelfare.ie.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
524. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that where separated couples have shared custody arrangements only one parent is entitled to child specific payments (children's allowance, qualified child payment etc); if he has considered splitting these payments so that both co-parents can benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15718/25]
View answerChild Benefit is a universal monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 19th birthday where they are in full-time education or have a disability. As a universal payment, Child Benefit assists parents with the cost associated with raising children and contributes towards alleviating child poverty.
Child Benefit is paid to the person with whom the qualifying children normally resides. The payment is based on the rules of residency which state that, where a qualified child resides with his or her mother, the child is deemed to be resident with the mother and with no other person. In effect, the mother is the qualified person to receive the benefit in respect of that child. This applies even where the child’s father also resides in same household.
In cases where the parents are living apart and have an equal custody arrangement, individual payments follow the rules of the scheme concerned. In the case of Child Benefit, the payment is awarded to the mother as the mother is deemed to be the qualified person to receive this payment under social welfare legislation.
People in receipt of certain payments from my Department may get a Child Support Payment in addition to their weekly personal rate, subject to certain conditions. A Child Support Payment is payable in respect of each qualified child who normally resides with the customer. Only one increase is paid in respect of each qualified child.
In the case of separated parents, the child shall be considered normally resident with the parent who has custody, provided that the parent is making significant contributions to the child's upkeep. Where a child is the subject of a joint custody arrangement and lives with both parents part-time, their normal residence is considered to be with the parent they spend most time with.
There are no plans to introduce split payments at present. The Department regularly reviews all of its schemes in order to ensure that they are still delivering on their policy aims and objectives.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
526. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection the percentage of social media videos posted on his Department's social media accounts that included closed captioning or subtitling and Irish sign language translations between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024. [15740/25]
View answerBetween 1 January and 31 December 2024 all videos posted to my Department's social media channels included closed captions. This includes the JobsIreland social media channels as well as those of the Department of Social Protection.
Three videos using Irish Sign Language (ISL) were developed in 2024, one promoting the Work and Access programme and two in relation to the ISL voucher scheme.
My Department continues to make every effort to improve the accessibility of all our communications.
527. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if an assessment has been conducted on the additional costs incurred by people aged 65 years and over due to disability, given that analysis indicates extra costs ranging from approximately €1,600 to €4,600 annually depending on severity and household type; if consideration has been given to addressing the fact that, while State pension rates are €40 higher per week than disability allowance, this does not fully cover the actual cost of disability in older age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15822/25]
View answerThe State Pension, whether Contributory or Non-Contributory, is paid to those who have reached pensionable age 66. Currently, the maximum weekly personal rate of State Pension (Contributory) is €289.30, some €40 to €45 per week more than those in receipt of a disability payment.
My Department commissioned Indecon to research the cost of disability in Ireland; the resulting report was published in 2021. It focused on people of working age rather than pensioners and estimated that the average annual cost of disability in Ireland ranges from €9,482 to €11,734 per annum. It found that the additional costs of disability spread across a number of areas of expenditure including additional living expenses, mobility, transport and communications, care and assistance services, equipment, aids and appliances, and medicines. My Department has not conducted a specific assessment of any additional costs incurred by people aged 65 years and over due to disability.
A key conclusion in the Indecon report is that a multi-faceted whole-of-Government approach is required to address the cost of disability. The next National Disability Strategy is being led by the Department of Children, Equality and Youth in conjunction with relevant government departments. The Indecon report forms a key input to the considerations behind that strategy
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
528. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to increase the €165 threshold in respect of the disability allowance; and the research his Department has carried out in respect of the labour activation potential of revising the threshold upwards. [15833/25]
View answerDisability Allowance and Blind Pension have been structured to support recipients to avail of opportunities to pursue employment, be that self-employment or insurable employment. When an individual commences employment, an income disregard of €165 per week is applied. In addition, 50% of earnings between €165 and €375 is also disregarded for the purpose of the means test. A person can earn a maximum of €517.60 per week and still keep a portion of their social welfare payment.
The earnings disregard for recipients of Disability Allowance and Blind Pension has increased by almost 38% since Budget 2021 from €120 to €165 currently. This enables those on the scheme to earn more without having a negative impact on their means tested payment. However, any changes or improvements to these disregards can only be considered in an overall budgetary context.
The Department has not carried out any research in respect of the labour activation potential of revising the threshold upwards. However this is something that I will speak to Department officials about.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
529. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15849/25]
View answerDomiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is payable to a parent / guardian in respect of a child aged under 16 who has a severe disability requiring continual or continuous care and attention substantially in excess of the care and attention normally required by a child of the same age and where the level of that disability is such that the child is likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 consecutive months.
An application for DCA was received from the person concerned on 13 March 2025. As part of the decision process, this application is currently awaiting the opinion of a Departmental Medical Assessor (MA).
On receipt of the MA opinion, a decision will be made by a Deciding Officer and the person will be notified directly of the decision on their application.
DCA claims are currently taking an average of five weeks to process from date of receipt of application.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
530. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount his Department spent on all social welfare claims by applicants in receipt of a protection order for the year 2024; and the amount spent on all social welfare applicants in receipt of an Irish residency permit. [15854/25]
View answerMy Department does not hold information on protection orders or residency permits and thus I am unable to answer the Deputy's question.
531. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Justice if he will consider bringing in regulations relating to not-for-profit management companies that oversee communal responsibility of apartment blocks in order that there would be a level of oversight as to the activities of the management company, there will be defined dispute mechanisms, and there will be legal compulsion on all property owners to pay their fair share of communal insurance costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15406/25]
View answerThe Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011 was enacted with the primary purpose of reforming the law relating to the ownership and management of common areas of multi-unit developments (MUDs) and facilitating the fair, efficient and effective management of owner management companies (OMCs).
The MUDs Act includes provisions relating to:
•the setting of the annual service charge payable by apartment owners in a MUD;
•the establishment of a sinking fund, to fund any non-recurring expenditure; and
•the development of house rules for the operation and maintenance of their multi-unit development.
Under Section 18 of the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011, the OMC must establish and maintain a scheme for annual service charges to fund ‘ongoing expenditure reasonably incurred’ on the maintenance, insurance and repair of common areas within its control and for the provision of common services (security, legal, accounting etc.) to unit owners.
Under the Programme for Government, Securing Ireland’s Future, responsibility for the regulation of owner management companies (OMCs) and the Multi-Unit Development Act (MUDs) is to be transferred from my Department, to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
532. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons convicted for driving without motor insurance, careless driving, dangerous driving, driving while under the influence of a banned substance, and driving and or being in control of a motor vehicle while intoxicated for the years 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, by county, in tabular form. [14992/25]
View answerManagement of the courts, operational matters and logistical functions are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and given the separation of powers in the Constitution. As Minister, I have no role in these matters.
The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the Oireachtas: oireachtasenquiries@courts.ie.To be of assistance to the Deputy I have referred this question to the Courts Service for direct reply.
533. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Justice the protocols for Garda when a member of the public can track their stolen items to a specific location as a consequence of GPS or mobile tracking of devices (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15014/25]
View answerThe Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including all operational policing decisions such as the protocols in place for Garda members when responding to reports of crime.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that An Garda Síochána does not have any protocols in place for Gardaí when a member of the public can track their stolen items to a specific location as a consequence of GPS or mobile tracking of devices.
Members of the public have a number of options available to report a crime, for example, calling into a Garda Station, calling 999/112 or making an online declaration, but due to the time sensitivity that may affect GPS tracking it is preferable that these types of reports are made in person to An Garda Síochána. Once An Garda Síochána have received all of the required information they can proceed to investigate the matter in the most appropriate manner.
It is not advised that any member of the public should attempt to use GPS information to trace items that have been stolen where they may find themselves engaging with individuals in an adversarial manner.
534. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Justice the number of people accepted into the Garda training college in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, by gender, ethnicity and the age groups under 21, 21 to 25, 26 to 30, 31 to 35 and over 35; and the number of persons that dropped out of college before attestation. [15064/25]
View answerI have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Regrettably, this was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.
535. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Justice the number of people that deferred a place to the Garda college in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025; the number of people that declined a place to the Garda training college in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025. [15065/25]
View answer536. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Justice the number of probationer Gardaí in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, that resigned and were dismissed before passing their probationer period; and the number that had the probationer period extended. [15066/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 535 and 536 together.
It is my first priority to get more Gardaí on our streets through increased recruitment. I want to help build safe and secure communities, and a well-resourced policing service is critical to achieving that. In Budget 2025 an unprecedented sum of €2.48 billion was allocated to An Garda Síochána to allow for sustained investment in recruitment, technology and equipment.
The overall Garda workforce, which includes Gardaí, civilian staff and Reserves currently stands at almost 18,000.
The Programme for Government commits to examining a range of further measures to enable An Garda Síochána recruit 5,000 members across the next five years. This includes reforming the Garda recruitment and training processes to increase capacity.
A Recruitment and Training Capacity Group has been established to support the achievement of the increased recruitment to AGS. The Group will provide me with a final report in mid-2025 on actions being taken to maximise future intakes and to ensure that recruitment campaigns are as effective as possible.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that the table below shows the number of people who deferred a place in the Garda college from the 2023, 2024 and to date from the 2025 Garda recruitment competition cohorts.
As candidates from these cohorts are still in processing they will continue to be made offers and, as such, the figures may change in due course. Regarding the 2025 competition cohort, almost 6,700 candidates completed the first stage of application of submission and are now due to move to interview stage with PublicJobs in the coming weeks. As such no candidate from the 2025 cohort would be in a position to have received an offer yet and the data below reflects that position.
This table also shows the number of people who declined a place in the Garda training college from the 2023, 2024 and to date from the 2025 Garda recruitment competition cohorts.
|
Competition |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 YTD |
|
Number of candidates per competition |
1,047 |
1,324 |
N/A |
|
Number of declines |
65 |
7 |
0 |
|
Number of deferrals |
175* |
26* |
0 |
*Candidates may have deferred more than once, therefore this number is reflective of the number of deferrals, and not candidates who deferred.
The Garda Trainee recruitment competition for 2025 is now closed, with applications closing on 27 February, 2025. The PublicJobs-managed selection process is ongoing.
I am further advised by the Garda authorities that the below table shows the number of probationer Gardaí in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, who resigned or were dismissed before passing their probationer period, and also the number that had their probationer period extended.
|
2023 |
2024 |
2025 YTD |
|
|
Number of Probationer Resignations |
39 |
38 |
12 |
|
Number of Probationer Dismissals |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Number of Probationers who have had their Probation extended |
101 |
54 |
13 |
Probation extension is defined in accordance with Regulation 12(4), 12(5) and 12(10) of the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations 2013. Some probationers have had their probation extended more than once in a year and in more than one of the years in question.
