Parliamentary questions

Child Benefit Administration

Seán Haughey

278. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to pay child benefit in respect of children who are still in full-time education, as was the case in the past in view of the fact that educating children is expensive, particularly in sixth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25486/17]

Family Income Supplement Data

Niall Collins

279. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of family income support per county on an annual basis in each of the years 2011 to 2016, and to date in 2017, in tabular form. [25497/17]

Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications

Charlie McConalogue

280. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on an application for a domiciliary care allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25504/17]

Community Services Programme

Niamh Smyth

281. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will address a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25507/17]

JobPath Implementation

Bernard Durkan

282. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a release from the JobPath scheme can be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied) to take a place in the rural social scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25514/17]

Carer's Allowance Applications

Michael Healy-Rae

283. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a carer’s allowance for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25515/17]

Exceptional Needs Payment Applications

Bernard Durkan

284. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a once-off exceptional needs payment will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25516/17]

Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

285. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a domiciliary care allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25536/17]

Social Welfare Benefits

Sean Fleming

286. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the arrangements in place in which a person in receipt of a means-tested payment from his Department inherits some assets from a person, in view of the fact it may take a considerable period of time for the estate to be administered and the assets to be transferred to a person that was is in receipt of the social protection payment; if the means are reassessed from the date of death of the relevant person; if overpayments are attributed to the person in receipt of payment from that date even though they have not received a benefit from the date of death but for a considerable period later; the timing in these matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25561/17]

State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility

Sean Fleming

287. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person who is entitled to the full state contributory pension in the United Kingdom is entitled as a result of this to the full contributory State pension here at the Irish rate; the arrangements in place in cases in which the UK pension is lower for a top-up payment to be made to Irish persons to bring them up to the Irish contributory pension level; the position regarding persons in the opposite position that are entitled to a full Irish pension but are now resident in the UK and apply for a contributory pension there; if there is a clawback between the two jurisdictions to pay the UK level pension in the UK; if there is a refund mechanism back to the government regarding these cases in view of the fact that a higher pension is payable here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25562/17]

Budget Measures

John Brady

288. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the policy scenarios he has examined through the simulating welfare and income tax changes, SWITCH, model in the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25580/17]

Pensions Insolvency Payments Scheme

David Cullinane

289. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to fact that persons (details supplied) have lodged an appeal with his Department and were informed they would receive a letter before 15 May 2017 but, to date, have not received such a letter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25585/17]

Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility

Michael Moynihan

290. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will change the means assessment applied to persons who are aged 18 to 24 years of age for jobseeker's allowance to exclude their parents' income in view of the fact that the maximum payment they can receive is already reduced significantly and results in persons being unable to afford to live independently of their parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25790/17]

Community Employment Schemes Eligibility

Michael Healy-Rae

291. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the criteria to join a community employment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25792/17]

Invalidity Pension Payments

Brendan Griffin

292. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for an invalidity pension for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25801/17]

Paternity Leave Costs

Thomas P. Broughan

293. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the first year cost and full year cost of increasing paternity leave by one week, two weeks, three weeks and four weeks, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25815/17]

Dietary Allowance Administration

Clare Daly

294. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans regarding the reinstatement of diet supplements for persons suffering from coeliac disease or throat cancer. [25844/17]

Live Register Data

Anne Rabbitte

295. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of permanent child care workers (details supplied) his Department anticipates will sign on the live register in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25847/17]

Disability Allowance Applications

Michael Healy-Rae

296. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a disability allowance for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25848/17]

Disability Allowance Applications

Michael Healy-Rae

297. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a disability allowance for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25850/17]

Disability Allowance Applications

Michael Healy-Rae

298. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a disability allowance for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25851/17]

Personal Public Service Numbers

Jim Daly

299. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which a person applying for permission to remain here on the basis of being the spouse of an Irish national would obtain a PPS number; the process involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25855/17]

Disability Allowance Applications

Michael Healy-Rae

300. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a disability allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25876/17]

Disability Allowance Applications

Michael Healy-Rae

301. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a disability allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25879/17]

Disability Allowance Applications

Michael Healy-Rae

302. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a disability allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25881/17]

Treatment Benefit Scheme

Willie O'Dea

303. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to extend the treatment benefit scheme; if he has conducted an analysis of the cost of extending the treatments available under this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25882/17]

Bereavement Grant

Willie O'Dea

304. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of restoring the bereavement grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25883/17]

Social Welfare Schemes Expenditure

Willie O'Dea

305. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full year cost of increasing the back to school clothing and footwear allowance by 25% and 50%, respectively, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25884/17]

Paternity Leave Costs

Willie O'Dea

306. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full year cost of increasing maternity and paternity benefit by one, two, three, four, five and six weeks, respectively, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25885/17]

Social Welfare Schemes Expenditure

Willie O'Dea

307. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending the fuel allowance by one, two, three, four, five and six weeks, respectively, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25886/17]

State Pensions

Willie O'Dea

308. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has conducted an analysis of the cost of index linking increases in the State pension to the cost of living; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25887/17]

Unemployment Data

Willie O'Dea

309. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of jobless households; the way in which this compares with the European average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25888/17]

Departmental Advertising Campaigns

Maureen O'Sullivan

310. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the rationale behind the recent advertising campaign to report social welfare cheats; and his views on whether this campaign demonises recipients of social welfare, the vast majority of whom are not there by choice. [25903/17]

Citizens Information Services

Maureen O'Sullivan

311. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on the desirability of independence of the State and its agencies as an attribute, characteristic, feature and principle in the corporate governance of citizens information services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25904/17]

Social Welfare Payments Waiting Times

Maureen O'Sullivan

312. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on whether the current backlog and processing time for social welfare claims is acceptable; the steps he is taking to alleviate the backlog; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25906/17]

Carer's Allowance Delays

John Curran

313. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps he is taking to reduce the processing time for applications for carer's allowance; his plans to reduce the target time of 12 weeks to process these applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25957/17]

Domiciliary Care Allowance Data

John Curran

314. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications made for domiciliary care allowance in 2016; the number of these applications that were granted; the number that were refused; the number of applications that were refused and that were subsequently granted on appeal by area, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25958/17]

Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme Payments

John Curran

315. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Social Protection the annual additional cost of increasing the back to school clothing and footwear allowance by €100 per child in both age categories; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25959/17]

Unemployment Benefits Payments

Anne Rabbitte

316. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has considered streamlining the process by which seasonal workers apply for unemployment benefit. [26008/17]

Unemployment Data

Joan Collins

317. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of craft workers relevant to the construction industry now in receipt of social welfare payments (details supplied). [26024/17]

Unemployment Benefits Data

Joan Collins

318. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons receiving a jobseeker's payment under 26 years of age; and the number of persons receiving the payment in each of the years 2014, 2015 and 2016. [25932/17]

Defined Benefit Pension Schemes

Mick Barry

319. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on the long-term decline in occupational defined benefit pension schemes in the private sector; his further views on the idea of a State supervised unified defined benefit, half final salary occupational pension scheme for workers in all sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23051/17]

Maternity Benefit Applications

Joan Collins

320. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will report on the delays in processing maternity benefit claims; the time it now takes to process the postal claims and online claims; and the number of claims that take two weeks, a month, two months or longer, respectively. [25929/17]

Passport Services

David Cullinane

321. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the measures his Department has put in place to enable persons who wish to apply for passports but who do not have a public services card and are not resident in the State, such as residents of Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Canada and Australia, once the requirement to have a public services card to apply for a passport is in operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25730/17]

Passport Services

Brendan Ryan

322. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the additional human and financial resources that have been allocated to cope with the unprecedented demand for new passports and passport renewals since January 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25314/17]

Northern Ireland

Eamon Ryan

323. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the meetings or discussions he has had with leaders in Northern Ireland regarding the formation of the Assembly in advance of the UK general election. [24357/17]

Passport Services

Fergus O'Dowd

324. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will address concerns raised (details supplied) regarding the new process on passport applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25547/17]

Good Friday Agreement

Micheál Martin

325. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the outstanding issues that have not been fully implemented under the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent agreements. [20405/17]

Visa Agreements

Micheál Martin

326. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has written to or spoken to the Australian Prime Minister about the Australian Government's announcements on visa changes. [20407/17]

Human Rights

Micheál Martin

327. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has discussed the Charter of Fundamental Rights with other EU leaders, including the British Foreign Secretary, and its implications for the citizens of Northern Ireland following Brexit. [21841/17]