Parliamentary questions

Social Welfare Eligibility

Bríd Smith

431. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) who is self-employed and who was placed on the temporary Covid payment during the pandemic has an entitlement to jobseekers’ benefit payments, or to the State pension (contributory) at 66 given that contributions during the pandemic period were interrupted; to clarify the steps such person needs to take to ensure they do qualify for the State pension (contributory) at 66 in light of the interruption to contributions during the pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24617/24]

International Protection

Catherine Murphy

432. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of a €1 increase in payments to international protection applicants living in direct provision accommodation, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24627/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Cian O'Callaghan

433. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the eligibility criteria for illness benefit to include people who are self-employed who become ill or injured and cannot work for a period; what alternatives are currently available for self-employed people who cannot work due to illness or injury; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24655/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Seán Canney

434. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection the current timeframe for appeals; if there is currently a lengthy delay registering appeals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24662/24]

Departmental Data

Carol Nolan

435. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide details of any anti-racism or unconscious bias training and presentations made available to staff in her Department during the period 2021 to date; the content of such training and presentations; the provider of any such training and presentations and the costs incurred for each event; if attendance at such training and presentations is mandatory or voluntary for staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24677/24]

Legislative Measures

Carol Nolan

436. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department will be prioritising the progression of any specific pieces of legislation prior to the Dáil summer recess; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24709/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Kathleen Funchion

437. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection the benefits or pensions that are available to a spouse on behalf of a deceased spouse; the query relates to a person (details supplied) who was deemed entitled to invalidity pension but passed away before they could receive it. [24721/24]

State Pensions

John McGuinness

438. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if the State pension (contributory) being paid to a person (details supplied) will be increased to the maximum, based on contributions made by them while working in Australia and the information submitted by them in this regard. [24769/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Michael Healy-Rae

439. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if assistance is available to a family that use public transport to take their six-year-old daughter (details supplied) to and from Dublin on a regular basis due to medical issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24787/24]

Social Welfare Code

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

440. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection if, in relation to the legislation arising from a case (details supplied), cohabiting couples without (dependent) children will be covered like married couples without children are. [24802/24]

Social Welfare Code

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

441. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection if cohabiting couples who lost their partner in 2020 will receive backdated payments if they made a claim and were turned down. [24803/24]

Social Welfare Code

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

442. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection if cohabiting couples who lost their partner before a person (details supplied) lost their partner, will be entitled to a backdated payment or if they will only be entitled to payments from the date of a new application and not from the date of their partner's death. [24804/24]

Social Welfare Code

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

443. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of years of cohabitation that will be required to qualify for all cohabiting couples in the future. [24805/24]

Gender Recognition

Patrick Costello

444. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Social Protection what plans there are to enable those who hold a gender recognition certificate to update their name on their child's birth certificate, in order that presenting their child's birth certificate does not disclose the parent's transgender status. [24850/24]

Gender Recognition

Patrick Costello

445. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Social Protection what plans there are to allow Irish citizens born abroad who are not eligible to be listed in the foreign birth register to be granted a gender recognition certificate. [24851/24]

State Pensions

Catherine Connolly

446. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the details of her engagement in 2024 with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Tusla, and foster carers’ representative groups, with a view to ensuring that foster carers will be eligible for state pension contributions in respect of their time spent fostering; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24853/24]

State Pensions

Catherine Connolly

447. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the details of any analysis carried out by her Department as regards allowing for foster carers to be eligible for State pension contributions in respect of their time spent fostering; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24854/24]

International Protection

Carol Nolan

448. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is aware of media reports that social protection payments may have been issued to international protection applicants who were not entitled to same; if so, the steps that will be taken to recoup such payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24860/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Duncan Smith

449. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if steps can be taken to expedite an application for carer’s allowance by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24868/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Alan Kelly

450. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2025 if the maximum rate of disability allowance increased to €245 per week. [24884/24]