Parliamentary questions

State Pensions Reform

Willie O'Dea

60. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she proposes to introduce legislation to deal with the position of persons who no longer qualify for a pension upon reaching 65 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40183/15]

JobPath Implementation

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

61. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason persons placed on the JobPath programme are prohibited and excluded from taking part in other job activation schemes such as community employment schemes, part-time job incentive schemes, jobs clubs and local employment services and from participating in all other forms of training other than that supplied by private companies such as Seetac and Turas Nua. [40185/15]

Jobseeker's Benefit Eligibility

Thomas Pringle

62. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will address, the anomalies in relation to the coding of part-time farmers as self-employed in her Department, even if they engage in off-farm seasonal work as employees; that coding them as self-employed excludes them from obtaining a payment under the jobseeker's benefit scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40182/15]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Willie O'Dea

63. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on the adequacy of payments under the rent supplement scheme, given the increase in rents nationally and that approximately 1,500 children are living in emergency accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40184/15]

Community Employment Schemes Eligibility

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

64. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will consider widening the eligibility criteria for participation in community employment schemes to facilitate adult dependants, those not in full employment, those on low hours or on low pay who do not qualify for family income supplement, and those who are not in receipt of a Social Protection payment. [40186/15]

Garda Vetting of Personnel

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

65. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if employees of companies (details supplied) who are tasked with the privatisation of the job placement role of her Department have been vetted by An Garda Síochána; and how she will ensure that these companies operate within the provisions of the Department's customer charter 2013-2015. [40100/15]

National Internship Scheme Administration

Willie O'Dea

66. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on the JobBridge scheme; if she envisages any amendment or change to the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40068/15]

Social Welfare Code Review

Willie O'Dea

67. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection for an update on the issue of determination orders which were not catered for in the legislation on jobseeker's transition payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40069/15]

Farm Assist Scheme

Charlie McConalogue

68. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will consider reversing the change made to the farm assist scheme with respect to income disregards given that it has had a serious negative affect on the income levels of already struggling farming families; the reason she has not carried out an analysis to assess the impact that the change has had on these families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40148/15]

Community Welfare Services Provision

Anthony Lawlor

69. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of the opening of the promised community welfare office for Naas, County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40144/15]

Family Income Supplement Payments

Richard Boyd Barrett

70. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will ensure that payments under the family income supplement scheme are not reckoned in any means testing within her Department; if she will contact the Department of Health and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to ensure these payments are not reckoned for medical cards or local authority rents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40153/15]

Education and Training Provision

Anthony Lawlor

71. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the training courses available for unemployed persons who had been self-employed and now wish to upskill; her views that every opportunity should be provided to all persons wishing to upskill in order to re-enter the workforce; if there are plans to allow greater access to training courses to all unemployed persons, irrespective of their previous occupation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40095/15]

Respite Care Grant Payments

Thomas Pringle

72. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to address the respite needs of carers, despite the fact that the respite care grant was renamed as the carer's support grant in recent budget changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40143/15]

Social Welfare Code

Clare Daly

73. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she is aware that persons who are in receipt of family income supplement and the back to work dividend, and who are in work, are suffering serious income losses as a result of the change from the one-parent family payment to the back to work dividend and of the loss of the fuel allowance, as neither the family income supplement nor the back to work dividend are considered qualifying payments for the fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40008/15]

Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals

Joan Collins

74. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will review the requests her Department made for a person (details supplied) to be applying for 200 to 300 jobs a week; and her views on the other issues that are raised in the timeline. [40094/15]

Labour Activation Measures

Paul Murphy

75. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection given a dispute involving workers on the Gateway scheme in the Ballymount depot in south Dublin, the protections in place for Gateway workers; and the monitoring being undertaken to ensure training is taking place as part of the scheme. [40151/15]

Social Welfare Benefits Expenditure

Willie O'Dea

76. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views that only two of 40 social protection cuts have been restored in full; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40067/15]

Job Initiatives

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

77. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the progress made on the commitment in the Pathways to Work 2015 strategy to develop and evaluate actions to extend services to persons not on the live register; to improve the promotion and communications around existing activation options; and her plans for access for qualified adults to the back to education allowance. [40097/15]

National Internship Scheme Administration

Paul Murphy

78. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection why her Department has reversed the ban on 54 companies from participating in the JobBridge scheme, as recently reported by the media (details supplied), and the details of the companies that have been banned from the scheme. [40152/15]

JobsPlus Scheme

Seán Kyne

79. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of progress of the JobsPlus scheme; the number of positions and the companies participating, by county; and the total numbers who have availed of the scheme to date. [40102/15]

State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility

Mick Wallace

80. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she is satisfied that changes in recent years to the State pension (contributory) scheme have not disproportionately penalised those with gaps in their pension contributions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40150/15]

Fuel Allowance Payments

Thomas Pringle

81. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her Department has factored in the increase in the cost of fuel due to the national ban on smoky coal in the increases to the fuel allowance in the 2016 budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40142/15]

Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

82. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the situations where unemployed persons who do not qualify for jobseeker's allowance or jobseeker's benefit can sign on for credits. [40098/15]

Farm Assist Scheme

Charlie McConalogue

83. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she has analysed the impact the changes to income disregard in the farm assist scheme have had on farmers; if she will reconsider these changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40147/15]

Rent Supplement Scheme Payments

Ruth Coppinger

84. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection given the proposals for restrictions on rent increases, if she will implement an increase to rent supplement levels in order that those requiring the supplement are able to secure accommodation in the current rental market. [40145/15]

Data Sharing Arrangements

Denis Naughten

85. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the steps she will take to facilitate the sharing of information with the Department of Education and Skills, and with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40018/15]

State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility

Bernard Durkan

86. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which a review of the methodology used in the calculation of contributions to determine eligibility for the State pension (contributory) is in place, with particular reference to the number of women who find themselves disqualified, due to having below-average annual contributions over their working lives, specifically in respect of those women who went back to work after rearing their families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40125/15]

Youth Unemployment Measures

Bernard Durkan

87. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she and her Department continue to address the issue of youth unemployment, with particular reference to utilising all available resources, including funding from Europe; the extent to which such efforts have been successful to date; the future expectations in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40126/15]

Rent Supplement Scheme Payments

Mick Wallace

88. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she is satisfied that current rent supplement limits are realistic in order to meet the needs of recipients in today's rental market; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40149/15]

Departmental Contracts

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

89. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection how she will ensure that a private-for-profit company, that financially incentivises job placement, will remain free of corruption and fraud; and if she is aware of the fraudulent activities of some companies in the United Kingdom, including some who were awarded JobPath contracts here [40096/15]

Departmental Staff Redeployment

Catherine Murphy

90. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to redeploy her departmental staff, at varying levels and grades, who are engaged in the national rents units, due to the phased coming onstream of the housing assistance payment nationally; her plans to redeploy staff to front-line services which have been seriously cut back in recent years, including with the closure of community welfare officer clinics; how she plans to make optimal use of the variety of experience and skillsets available to enhance customer services and access; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40104/15]

Back to Education Allowance

Willie O'Dea

91. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the implications of the Economic and Social Research Institute’s report evaluating the back to education allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40070/15]

Departmental Contracts

Catherine Murphy

92. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 78 of 5 November 2015, if she will provide, copies of the detailed service statements which the contracted JobPath companies are required to abide by, in delivering specifically tailored job search assistance activation services to customers, under contract with her Department; the full detail of the minimum elements of customer service that were stipulated by her Department, as part of the said contracts; if customers availing of JobPath are made aware of the minimum levels of service they can expect; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40105/15]

Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times

Thomas P. Broughan

93. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the current waiting times for appeals regarding payments of allowances and benefits to be processed and decided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40103/15]

Jobseeker's Allowance Payments

Thomas Pringle

94. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to allow for an increase in payments under the jobseeker's allowance scheme for those under 25 years of age who may be at risk of homelessness; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40141/15]

JobPath Implementation

Jonathan O'Brien

95. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of the operation of the JobPath scheme in assisting persons access employment. [40007/15]

Immigration Policy

Thomas Pringle

96. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to review the operation of the habitual residence condition in relation to returning immigrants who had been resident in the common travel area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40139/15]

Unemployment Data

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

97. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views regarding the potential supply of labour statistics being a measure of the real extent of unemployment and underemployment. [40099/15]

Back to Work Family Dividend Scheme Data

Seán Kyne

98. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the uptake of the back to work family dividend scheme, by county; and if the scheme is subject to review to ascertain its effectiveness. [40101/15]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Clare Daly

99. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection given recently released figures from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government showing that the number of homeless families has risen by 76% since the beginning of 2015, the steps she will take to combat homelessness by increasing the rent supplement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40009/15]

Child Poverty

Terence Flanagan

100. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her assessment of child inequality and poverty; the action her Department is taking to address this problem; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35324/15]

Carer's Allowance Applications

Thomas Pringle

101. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if the number of refusals of applications for a carer's allowance has increased due to the changes in the Social Welfare Act 2014 which allowed deciding officers to overrule medical evidence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40140/15]

Departmental Funding

Patrick O'Donovan

102. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Taoiseach the value of capital investment projects and grants under way and approved for funding by his Department, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39664/15]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Micheál Martin

103. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the position regarding his meeting in Downing Street in London in England on 9 November 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40023/15]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Micheál Martin

104. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the status of comments he made on Raidió Teilifís Éireann News on 8 November 2015 regarding a deal being completed on the North; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40024/15]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Micheál Martin

105. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the position regarding his attendance at the war memorial commemoration ceremony on 8 November 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40025/15]

EU Membership

Micheál Martin

106. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he agreed any of the requests from Britain in relation to staying in the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40027/15]

EU Membership

Micheál Martin

107. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he has reservations regarding any of the terms that Britain is requesting from the European Union so that it will stay in the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40028/15]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Micheál Martin

108. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he discussed the impact on the North and the Border counties if Britain exits the European Union with the British Prime Minister, Mr David Cameron; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40029/15]

Commissions of Investigation

Pearse Doherty

109. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Taoiseach the costs to date of the Commission of Investigation into Irish Bank Resolution Corporation; and the overall anticipated budget and cost to complete its work and to report. [40040/15]

Tourism Employment Data

Bernard Durkan

110. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Taoiseach the extent to which the number of jobs in the tourism sector has improved in each of the past four years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39736/15]

Unemployment Levels

Maureen O'Sullivan

111. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Taoiseach the number of persons who have left the labour force in the past four quarters, and how this has affected unemployment rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39934/15]

EU Membership

Thomas P. Broughan

112. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Taoiseach if he has asked the Departments of Finance, Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, and Foreign Affairs and Trade to prepare an analysis of any future Irish step-back or exit from fuller European Union integration, or the movement of Ireland into a slower lane, or outer group of European Union states, outside of full integration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40710/15]

Social Welfare Schemes

Clare Daly

113. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason a person, who is certified sick on a Gateway scheme for a week, has their income deducted by €80; and the lawful basis for same. [40246/15]

Rent Supplement Scheme Data

Willie O'Dea

114. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of requests for payments of additional rent supplement, over and above the standard rate approved in each local authority, under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme; the number approved, refused, in 2015 to date, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40041/15]

Treatment Benefit Scheme Applications

Robert Troy

115. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will review an application for a medical appliance benefit by a person (details supplied), given the person's considerable medical conditions and costs. [40043/15]

Carer's Allowance Applications

Jack Wall

116. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a carer's allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40077/15]

Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals

Michael Healy-Rae

117. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection why a person (details supplied) in County Kerry was refused a domiciliary care allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40083/15]

Carer's Allowance Appeals

Bernard Durkan

118. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection why a carer's allowance was refused to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40090/15]

JobPath Implementation

Clare Daly

119. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 85 of 5 November 2015, if employees of Turas Nua Limited and Seetec Limited will have any role in the sanctioning of persons on JobPath, whether by way of a recommendation to her Department that a person be sanctioned, by way of sanctions imposed by those companies themselves or by any other mechanism. [40091/15]

Job Initiatives

Clare Daly

120. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if persons on the JobPath scheme are prohibited from working part-time up to three days a week and claiming jobseeker's allowance for the other days; and, if so, the reason for this. [40092/15]

Job Initiatives

Clare Daly

121. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if persons on the JobPath scheme are permitted to take up employment on community employment schemes; and if not, the reason why. [40093/15]

Departmental Funding

Pat Deering

122. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the financial or other assistance available to a community group (details supplied) in County Carlow which provides meals for persons who are less privileged in society. [40116/15]

Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals

Michael Healy-Rae

123. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection why a person (details supplied) in County Kerry is waiting for a decision on an appeal for a domiciliary care allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40128/15]

Carer's Allowance Applications

Jack Wall

124. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a carer's allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40130/15]

Respite Care Grant Administration

Tony McLoughlin

125. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will allow recipients of the respite care grant, which will be re-introduced from January 2016, to receive two separate payments, in June and December, rather than one payment in June in order to facilitate carers at Christmas time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40206/15]

JobPath Implementation

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

126. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if persons who believe that they have been unfairly and-or unprofessionally treated by employees of companies, such as Seetac and Turas Nua, which companies are tasked with the privatisation of the job placement role of her Department, can request to deal solely with their local Intreo office or their local employment service rather than with a private for profit company. [40208/15]

JobPath Implementation

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

127. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection who decides when a person's jobseeker's payment can be cut; on what criteria is this decision based; and if this is at the discretion of a private company, such as Seetac and Turas Nua, which have been tasked with the privatisation of the job placement role of her Department. [40209/15]

One-Parent Family Payment Payments

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

128. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if the wording of correspondence sent to non-custodial parents, regarding their liability to her Department, in the event of a custodial parent ceasing to receive the one parent family payment, will be changed to make it clear that the parents do have a liability to pay maintenance to their ex-partners. [40210/15]

Jobseeker's Allowance Payments

Bernard Durkan

129. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection why it is asserted that a person (details supplied) in County Kildare owes €312 to her Department, given that the person continues to provide payslips, etc. to her Department in respect of payment under the jobseeker's allowance scheme; the correct level of jobseeker's allowance in this instance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40236/15]

Social Welfare Benefits

Maureen O'Sullivan

131. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection on the need to increase the basic social protection rate to combat the increase in inflation since January 2011; that the failure to make progress on restoring the buying power of minimum social protection payments in budget 2016 is a concern; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40249/15]

Social Welfare Code

Maureen O'Sullivan

132. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 217 of 3 November 2015, if she is aware of any individual problems persons have been facing in social protection offices when trying to provide proof of actively seeking employment; her views that the current system is very loose; and that a fairer system needs to be put in place to differentiate between persons who are desperately trying to find employment and those who are not, for the benefit of the applicant and the deciding officer in social protection offices. [40250/15]

Social Welfare Code

Maureen O'Sullivan

133. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views that a system which prohibits a cohabiting unemployed parent from claiming a jobseeker's benefit based on the income of the other parent is a contributing factor to social protection fraud in some cases, whereby parents in relationships can, on occasion, claim to be separated in order to receive benefit under the one-parent family payment scheme and the jobseeker's scheme; and the action she has taken to ensure that honest persons are not a loss while unemployed. [40251/15]

Social Welfare Code

Willie O'Dea

134. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if lone parents who are in full-time education and who are in receipt of the maintenance grant and the jobseeker's allowance transition payment will be worse off financially when their youngest child turns 14 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40255/15]

Carer's Allowance Eligibility

Michael Creed

135. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Cork is entitled to a carer's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40259/15]

Universal Retirement Savings Group

Terence Flanagan

136. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of the report of the Universal Retirement Savings Group (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40266/15]

Carer's Allowance Appeals

Michael Healy-Rae

137. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delay in deciding on an appeal for a carer's allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40267/15]

Work Placement Programmes

Martin Heydon

138. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection why a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who has been offered a position through the Tús work placement initiative is prevented from accepting this position; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40283/15]

Carer's Allowance Applications

Pat Breen

139. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a carer's allowance will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40285/15]

Fuel Allowance Applications

Pat Breen

140. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a fuel allowance will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40287/15]

Disability Allowance Appeals

Pat Breen

141. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision on an appeal under the disability allowance scheme will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40293/15]

Family Income Supplement Eligibility

Mick Wallace

142. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she has considered allowing self-employed persons access to the family income supplement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40302/15]

Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility

Mick Wallace

143. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to introduce more supports for self-employed persons, such as access to illness benefit and unemployment benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40303/15]

Death Certificates

Seán Kyne

144. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason for a delay in the procedures to issue death certificates for those Irish citizens who have died abroad, following the signing by the President in December 2014 of the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2014; when the issuing of certificates will begin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40310/15]

Respite Care Grant Administration

Finian McGrath

145. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will improve the support service to all full-time carers, as a matter of priority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40317/15]

Jobseeker's Allowance Applications

Bernard Durkan

146. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of a jobseeker's allowance for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40320/15]

Invalidity Pension Eligibility

Patrick O'Donovan

147. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of a review of an invalidity pension for a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if successful; when arrears will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40321/15]

Disability Allowance Appeals

Michael Healy-Rae

148. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an appeal under the disability allowance scheme by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40360/15]

Carer's Allowance Appeals

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

149. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an appeal under the carer's allowance scheme by a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12; and when they can expect a decision on their case. [40361/15]

Disability Allowance Appeals

Tom Fleming

150. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will examine an appeal under the disability allowance scheme by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40363/15]

Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals

Tom Fleming

151. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will examine and expedite an appeal under the domiciliary care allowance scheme for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40419/15]

Rent Supplement Scheme Data

Ruth Coppinger

152. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of increased rental payments under the protocol with Threshold and the national tenancy sustainment framework in each of the four local authorities in Dublin. [40421/15]

Rent Supplement Scheme Data

Ruth Coppinger

153. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of increased rental payments under the protocol with Threshold and the national tenancy sustainment framework in each of the Dublin postal districts. [40422/15]

Disability Allowance Applications

Brian Walsh

154. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if an application for disability allowance will be expedited for a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40432/15]

State Pension (Contributory)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

156. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of reversing the increase in the age of qualification for the State pension to 66 years of age. [40455/15]

State Pension (Contributory)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

157. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of reversing the discontinuation of the State pension (transition) for new claimants. [40456/15]

State Pension (Contributory)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

158. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of reversing the number of paid contributions required to qualify for the State pension from 260 to 520. [40457/15]

State Pension (Contributory)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

159. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of reversing the new payment rate bands for State pension. [40458/15]

State Pension (Contributory)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

160. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2021 and in a full-year of not raising the pension age from 66 to 67 years of age. [40459/15]

State Pension (Contributory)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

161. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated savings targeted by Government when it introduced the measure to raise the age of eligibility for the State pension from 66 to 67 years of age in 2021 and in each full year thereafter. [40460/15]