Parliamentary questions

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Sorca Clarke

157. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will increase expenditure on the pandemic unemployment payment in the event that further restrictions are required. [32502/21]

Departmental Schemes

Richard Bruton

158. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons with disabilities that are currently availing of the training support grants. [32505/21]

Departmental Schemes

Richard Bruton

159. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the breakdown of the groups of disabled persons that are applying for the training support grants. [32506/21]

Departmental Schemes

Richard Bruton

160. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount of funds within her Department allocated for the training support grant. [32507/21]

Departmental Schemes

Richard Bruton

161. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the courses or training opportunities for which the training support grant has been used. [32512/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

John McGuinness

162. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) is entitled to the dependent adult allowance based on their contributory pension and the split of savings. [32167/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Brendan Griffin

163. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an application for disability allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32201/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Claire Kerrane

164. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports in place for persons in receipt of the carer’s allowance and who have been in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment; if there has been consideration for those carers who cannot return to work as yet and who also cannot sign up to jobseeker’s allowance as a result of their part-time employment and means-testing requirement of the carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32210/21]

Pension Provisions

Bríd Smith

165. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if representatives of retired staff can be excluded from discussions around the resolution of actuarial deficits and the governance structure of their schemes in relation to the operation of minimum funding standards in occupational pensions schemes and the functioning of the Pension Authority; if retired staff associations can make submissions to her or the Pensions Authority in relation to minimum funding standards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32216/21]

Pension Provisions

Bríd Smith

166. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to changes made to the selection process for members of the ESB pension scheme board of trustees and specifically that this new process now acts to exclude retired staff members who are active members of their own representative associations; if such an attempt to exclude potential trustees is in line with current legislation; if she will request the Pensions Authority to investigate this process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32217/21]

Social Welfare Rates

Louise O'Reilly

167. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of indexing core social welfare rates to 27.5% of average weekly earnings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32265/21]

Departmental Schemes

Jackie Cahill

168. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person in ownership of a property worth €120,000 other than their home has no means to appeal a decision in relation to the fuel allowance; if she plans to introduce amendments to the relevant legislation and guidelines in order to avoid unfair situations like this arising (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32286/21]

Departmental Schemes

Jackie Cahill

169. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) has means to appeal a decision in relation to the fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32287/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Paul Kehoe

170. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status in relation to the outstanding arrears of the pandemic unemployment payment for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32318/21]

Community Employment Schemes

Michael Lowry

171. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on extending the employment of all persons in the community employment programme until at least 31 December 2021 given the difficulty in replacing persons during the Covid-19 pandemic; if she will address the concerns raised by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32439/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Gary Gannon

172. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the domiciliary care allowance from €309.50 to €330 per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32485/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Gary Gannon

173. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of expanding the free travel scheme to include persons in receipt of the domiciliary care allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32486/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Gary Gannon

174. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the annual carer's support grant from €1,850 to €2,000; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32487/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Gary Gannon

175. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of making the carer's allowance a qualifying payment for the fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32488/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Gary Gannon

176. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the income disregard for carer's allowance from €332.50 to €350 per week for a single person and to €700 for a couple; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32489/21]

Electric Vehicles

Johnny Guirke

177. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of electric or hybrid vehicles purchased by her Department in 2020 and to date in 2021, respectively in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32859/21]

Birth Certificates

James Lawless

842. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if the birth certificate application of a person (details supplied) will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31421/21]

Money Advice and Budgeting Service

Pádraig O'Sullivan

843. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who have availed of Abhaile vouchers, by county; the categories in which the applications were made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31549/21]

Employment Support Services

Holly Cairns

844. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on criticism by an organisation (details supplied) of Government plans for a regional employment service that seeks to replace existing jobs clubs and local employment services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32105/21]

Family Resource Centres

Paul Kehoe

845. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection the funding streams available for a family and community resource centre to purchase land adjacent to its property for expansion purposes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30522/21]

School Meals Programme

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

846. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount of funding provided for the school meals programme for the 2020-2021 academic year. [30540/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Claire Kerrane

847. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports in place for persons who were in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment and had their payments ceased as a result of reaching 66 years of age; if consideration has been given to allowing recipients of the State pension (contributory) to receive the pandemic unemployment payment in circumstances in which their employment continues to be affected as a result of public health guidelines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30588/21]

Disability Services

Kathleen Funchion

848. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection the details of the uptake and funding rates of the disability awareness support scheme between 2017 and 2021, in tabular form. [30609/21]

Haulage Industry

Jackie Cahill

849. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will advertise grants for Heavy Goods Vehicle, HGV, and bus driver lessons as part of the back to work scheme given the pressing need to get drivers trained for the transport and haulage industries due to a shortage of drivers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30616/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Michael Fitzmaurice

850. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on a carer's application by a person (details supplied) who is providing full-time care for both their parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30659/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Michael Ring

851. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of families in receipt of monthly child benefit payments, per county, in each of the past three years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30695/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Catherine Connolly

852. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 666 of 28 April 2021, her plans to defer the 13-week requalification period in respect of persons on partial capacity benefit until after the end of the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions in view of the financial difficulties endured by many as a result of the pandemic; the analysis her Department has carried out of the financial cost of such a deferral; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30698/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Catherine Connolly

853. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in the moderate, severe and profound categories of illness who have started their 13-week requalification period for the partial capacity benefit in each of the months from March 2020 to May 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30699/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Catherine Connolly

854. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who successfully transferred from partial capacity benefit to supplementary welfare allowance or another social welfare payment for the duration of their 13-week partial capacity benefit requalification period in each of the months from March 2020 to May 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30700/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Pauline Tully

855. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider automatically extending the free travel scheme to persons who lose their driving licence due to a diagnosis of epilepsy or breakthrough seizures; if she will consider making the scheme a stand-alone scheme in order that persons who are diagnosed with epilepsy or breakthrough seizures but who do not meet the requirements for a qualifying payment such as disability allowance or invalidity pension can apply directly for a free travel pass; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30714/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Darren O'Rourke

856. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing maternity benefit from 26 weeks to 29 weeks. [30726/21]

Departmental Staff

Darren O'Rourke

857. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff by grade working in the household benefits section; and the number of vacancies by grade within the section. [30727/21]

Departmental Bodies

Catherine Murphy

858. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of advocates in the National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities; and the estimated full-year cost of increasing the number of advocates by six, 10 and 25 staff, respectively, in tabular form. [30742/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Catherine Murphy

859. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the carer's support grant by €75, €150 and €225, respectively, in tabular form. [30743/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Rose Conway-Walsh

860. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost to the State of providing a free travel pass to persons who lose their licence due to a diagnosis of epilepsy or breakthrough seizures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30772/21]

State Pensions

Willie O'Dea

861. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department will allow an individual grievance, conversation or mediation regarding an unsolved pensions issue ongoing for 25 years in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30818/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Eoin Ó Broin

862. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of households eligible for schemes (details supplied) effective from 1 August 2018. [30826/21]

Low Pay Commission

Michael McNamara

863. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans for the implementation of the universal basic income pilot committed to as part of the request to the Low Pay Commission to examine universal basic income committed to under the programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30832/21]

Departmental Schemes

Holly Cairns

864. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on allowing schools (details supplied) with registered charitable status to participate in the Tús scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30844/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Claire Kerrane

865. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of social welfare payments for April, May and June and to date in 2021; and the number in receipt of each social welfare payment in tabular form. [30858/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Carol Nolan

866. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the details of the expenditure incurred by staff in her Department under the heading of travel and subsistence from 1 January 2020 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30872/21]

Departmental Reviews

Carol Nolan

867. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the details of each value-for-money and policy review conducted by her Department from 1 January 2019 to date; if external costs were incurred; if so, the details of such costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30889/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Rose Conway-Walsh

868. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection the expenditure on the back to education allowance for each year for which data is available; if this cost covers fees and-or the student contribution charge; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30989/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Claire Kerrane

869. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of parent’s leave and benefit by month in 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [31085/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

870. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the way the artists pilot scheme for social protection has been developed since 2017; the number of artists who have been recipients under the scheme each year since it was established; the cost of the scheme each year since it was established; and her plans to extend the programme. [31098/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

871. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of families that receive child benefit payments; and the number of children these are in respect of. [31166/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

872. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of making a one-off annual double payment of child benefit to all recipients in September 2021. [31167/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

873. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the school meals programme budget by 5%, 10%, 20% and 25%, respectively; and the estimated cost of extending the programme budget to include provision for breakfast in addition to lunch. [31168/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

874. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of children availing of free hot school meals; the cost of same; and the cost per child and school of delivering same. [31169/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

875. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of providing hot free school meals to all children currently availing of free school meals. [31170/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

876. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of providing free hot school meals to all children attending DEIS schools. [31171/21]

Community Employment Schemes

Brendan Griffin

877. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a community employment placement will be extended in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31199/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Michael Creed

878. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Cork is entitled to the full rate of carer’s allowance. [31207/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Michael Healy-Rae

879. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31218/21]

Irish Sign Language

Pa Daly

880. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the review by her Department of the functioning of the IRIS application; if she will consider keeping the on-demand element open on an interim basis whilst the review is completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31226/21]

Departmental Data

Violet-Anne Wynne

881. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department can withhold personal data for up to seven years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31234/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Violet-Anne Wynne

882. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection if there can be a grace period of reopening for business owners who are on the pandemic unemployment payment and are taking tentative steps to rebuild their business model to reflect this time such as in the case of a person (details supplied). [31235/21]

Parental Leave

Róisín Shortall

883. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider matters raised in correspondence (details supplied) regarding parent’s leave benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31263/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

John Lahart

884. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider eligibility for the free travel scheme for persons who are disqualified from driving due to epileptic or breakthrough seizures in order that they can maintain their independence and continue in work or in education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31267/21]

Departmental Funding

Violet-Anne Wynne

885. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a training fund of up to €1,000 is available for persons in receipt of jobseeker’s payment but is not available for participants of JobPath who can only avail of job related training on a discretionary case by case basis such as in the case of a person (details supplied). [31274/21]

Departmental Websites

Holly Cairns

886. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which her Department and agencies under her remit are meeting the requirement to have a statement on the compliance of their websites and mobile applications with the regulations under the directive 2016/2102 (EU), as articulated in SI No. 358/2020 - European Union (Accessibility of Websites and Mobile Applications of Public Sector Bodies) Regulations 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31290/21]

Departmental Websites

Holly Cairns

887. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which her Department and agencies under her remit are meeting the requirement to subject to Regulation 6, public sector bodies shall, in accordance with Regulation 3, take necessary measures to make their websites and mobile applications more accessible by making them perceivable, operable, understandable and robust under the directive 2016/2102 (EU), as articulated in SI No. 358/2020 - European Union (Accessibility of Websites and Mobile Applications of Public Sector Bodies) Regulations 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31308/21]

Pension Provisions

Michael Creed

888. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Cork is entitled to arrears of a contributory pension. [31368/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Seán Canney

889. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection the threshold for earned income in order to qualify for deserted wife’s benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31381/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Seán Canney

890. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection when the existing level threshold for earnings to qualify for the deserted wife’s benefit was last reviewed; if she plans to review the threshold limit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31382/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Robert Troy

891. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if Covid-19 supports will remain in place for certain sectors beyond September 2021; and her views on whether certain employment such as wedding bands will not be able to take up full employment again on the lifting of restrictions and will have to wait for bookings to start coming in. [31396/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

James Lawless

892. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if the carer’s benefit allocation of a person (details supplied) will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31419/21]

Departmental Staff

Róisín Shortall

893. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of employees who are on secondment from her Department to other organisations; the number of these who are in receipt of a higher duty allowance; the number of staff who were previously seconded and subsequently returned to work in her Department on a lower grade than their secondment position; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31424/21]

Departmental Schemes

Pauline Tully

894. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount spent on the wage subsidy scheme for persons with disabilities in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; the amount spent on the grants for employers to retain employees with disabilities in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31434/21]

Departmental Schemes

Pauline Tully

895. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated additional cost of extending current supports which encourage and incentivise employers to hire and retain a person with a disability such as the wage subsidy scheme for persons with disabilities and the grants for employers to retain employees with disabilities to allow self-employed persons with a disability apply for these supports to hire and retain themselves; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31435/21]

Departmental Schemes

Pauline Tully

896. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated additional cost of permitting self-employed persons with a disability to apply for and the grants for employers to retain employees with disabilities and the wage subsidy scheme for persons with disabilities for themselves as if they were an employee; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31436/21]

Departmental Schemes

Pauline Tully

897. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated additional cost of permitting self-employed persons with a disability to be considered as an employee for the purpose of accessing the grants for employers to retain employees with disabilities and the wage subsidy scheme for persons with disabilities to hire and retain themselves as if they were employees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31437/21]

Pension Provisions

Claire Kerrane

898. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures her Department has in place to address concerns of seconded local employment scheme and community employment scheme employees with regard to their employment particularly in relation pension allowances and unpensioned portions of salary which constitute core pay; if direct engagement and mediation is in place to address pension-related concerns in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31507/21]

Departmental Schemes

Pauline Tully

899. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated additional cost of increasing the funding to the EmployAbility Service by 5%, 10% and 25% respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31525/21]

Departmental Funding

Pauline Tully

900. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated additional cost of increasing the funding to the walk peer programme to extend the service to each county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31526/21]

Departmental Schemes

Pauline Tully

901. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection if the disregard which now applies to disability allowance recipients who have been granted bursaries, stipends or scholarships towards completing a PhD will be extended to students who have been granted bursaries, stipends or scholarships towards completing a PhD who are on other means tested disability payments such as the blind pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31532/21]

Departmental Schemes

Pauline Tully

902. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated additional cost of extending the disregard which applies to disability allowance recipients who have been granted bursaries, stipends or scholarships towards completing a PhD to students in receipt of the blind pension who have been granted bursaries, stipends or scholarships towards completing a PhD; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31533/21]

Social Welfare Appeals

Michael Healy-Rae

903. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31545/21]

Social Welfare Appeals

Michael Healy-Rae

904. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31546/21]

Departmental Schemes

Seán Sherlock

905. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will make the form for the benefit payment for 65-year olds available to download and print rather than on request only. [31554/21]

Departmental Schemes

Paul Murphy

906. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason her Department recognises cohabiting couples as a family unit and therefore pay them full amount for the main would be earner with an allowance for an adult dependant, and if applicable, their children, not as two individual single persons both receiving the full rate for a single adult given that for taxation purposes cohabiting couples are viewed as two individual single persons even those who have children together. [31578/21]

Departmental Schemes

John Brady

907. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide the full details of the plans of her Department which propose to introduce a new service in January 2022 to replace the existing EmployAbility service model; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31591/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

John Paul Phelan

908. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of artists that have qualified to date for State supports under the various Covid-19 pandemic support schemes; the full breakdown of those qualifying by heading; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31602/21]

Departmental Schemes

Bernard Durkan

909. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an application for a carer’s allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); if all documentation has now been received; when the application will be concluded with a view to the granting of the payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31632/21]

Departmental Schemes

Bernard Durkan

910. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) qualifies for the back to work enterprise allowance or any other scheme or payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31643/21]

Departmental Data

Claire Kerrane

911. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of referrals to each job club by location in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [31644/21]

Maternity Leave

Kathleen Funchion

912. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost to extend maternity leave by 52 weeks. [31655/21]

Employment Schemes

Claire Kerrane

913. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons accessing employment services through INTREO in each of the years 2019, 2020 and to date 2021, in tabular form. [31661/21]

Departmental Strategies

Claire Kerrane

914. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection when the pathways to work strategy 2021-2024 will be launched; if further information on the announced work placement experience programme will be included in the strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31662/21]

Parental Leave

Kathleen Funchion

915. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of introducing six weeks of parental benefit which would be the same rate as maternity benefit but which could be taken by either parent or shared between the two at the end of the period of maternity leave. [31664/21]

Departmental Data

Kathleen Funchion

916. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing maternity, paternity and adoptive benefit by €10 per week. [31666/21]

Departmental Schemes

Seán Sherlock

917. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if there will be an extension for those on community employment schemes beyond 2 July 2021 after receiving little or no training due to the Covid-19 pandemic. [31838/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Catherine Murphy

918. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which persons contracted to airline companies that are rostered to pilot but are only paid when flying may access the pandemic unemployment payment or other financial supports while grounded for prolonged periods of time due to public health guidelines. [31846/21]

Departmental Schemes

Paul Murphy

919. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of job coaches employed in regard to the use of job coaches for disabled jobseekers as a way of improving access to the labour market; the cost for the relevant Department or State agency to recruit a job coach; and the amount allocated for her Department to spend on job coaches. [31867/21]

Departmental Staff

Róisín Shortall

920. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of employees in her Department and the bodies under the aegis of her Department who have been in receipt of a higher duty acting allowance for over two years. [31881/21]