Parliamentary questions

Social Welfare Benefits

Violet-Anne Wynne

157. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of rent supplement applications made in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021; the number approved and rejected in each year; the number of these applications approved on the grounds of domestic abuse; the cost of rent supplement in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35396/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Violet-Anne Wynne

158. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of disabled persons in receipt of the wage subsidy scheme and the ability programme. [35397/21]

Departmental Reports

Johnny Mythen

159. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a report (details supplied) will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28205/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

353. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that many of the aviation workers are coming to the end of their eligibility for short-time work support and many of whom will not qualify for other forms of jobseeker's allowances or payments; and if the short-term support can be extended. [34905/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Brendan Griffin

354. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if the enterprise support grant is available to sole traders who did not make a claim in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34248/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Brendan Griffin

355. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will make the 2021 enterprise support grant available to sole traders who returned to work in May 2021 when restrictions were lifted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34262/21]

Social Welfare Appeals

Paul McAuliffe

356. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the appeal by a person (details supplied). [34269/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Jackie Cahill

357. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) who is a single parent working 15 hours a week during the school term is entitled to the full carer’s allowance to care for their child who has autism after nine years on half carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34284/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Colm Burke

358. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to extending the eligibility for the pandemic unemployment payment beyond 7 September 2021 for third-level students who previously worked in the live music sector but cannot do so at the present time due to Covid-19 given the nature of their employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34292/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

John McGuinness

359. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an oral hearing will be arranged immediately for a person (details supplied). [34305/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Róisín Shortall

360. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the increase in the training support grant from €500 to €1,000 is not available for JobPath participants despite INTREO confirming that the increase should be paid to JobPath participants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34317/21]

Public Services Card

Cormac Devlin

361. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff employed in the management of the public services card phone line service; the number of calls that have been received by month since January 2020; the number of cards that have been processed; if she will consider extending the service online to improve efficiency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34432/21]

Registration of Births

Neale Richmond

362. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a birth registration application (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34531/21]

Community Employment Schemes

Pa Daly

363. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of plans to provide pension provision as per a 2008 Labour Court recommendation for community employment supervisors; the engagement underway; the timeframe for a decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34559/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Seán Sherlock

364. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider extending the provision of domestic violence emergency rent supplement beyond the end of 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34571/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

John Lahart

365. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of pension recipients who had attained over 40 years of pension contributions, over 41 years, over 42 years and so on up to a maximum in other words, someone who might have worked since 16 years of age to retirement age the number of those there are in Ireland in each of the years 2015 to 2020, in tabular form. [34579/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Brendan Griffin

366. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on a carer’s allowance review in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34722/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Paul Murphy

367. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider changing the regulations to allow the blind pension to be paid concurrently with the invalidity pension given that it is means-tested (details supplied). [34737/21]

Departmental Policies

Holly Cairns

368. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the way her Department and public bodies and agencies under her remit fulfil their obligations under section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34863/21]

Disabilities Assessments

Holly Cairns

369. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the way her Department and public bodies and agencies under her remit undertake disability impact assessments; the process by which these assessments are monitored; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34878/21]

Social Welfare Application Forms

Holly Cairns

370. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will make the back to school clothing and footwear allowance form available online for download; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34902/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

371. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that many aviation workers are nearing the end of their entitlement to short-term working support and may not qualify for other supports; if she will consider extending eligibility for the scheme until the resumption of aviation travel under normal or near normal conditions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34909/21]

Employment Schemes

Claire Kerrane

372. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of referral fees paid to Seetec and Turas Nua since JobPath commenced. [34940/21]

Employment Schemes

Claire Kerrane

373. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who have been referred to JobPath since it was introduced; and the number of persons currently engaged with the service. [34941/21]

Employment Schemes

Claire Kerrane

374. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who have completed JobPath and found employment as a result in which the employment has been sustained for over one year. [34942/21]

Social Welfare Appeals

Róisín Shortall

375. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a carer’s allowance appeal by a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11; when a decision will be made; if an oral hearing will be granted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34951/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Mairéad Farrell

376. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if there has been a rule change regarding the use of the herd number to qualify for the rural social scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34953/21]

Employment Schemes

Louise O'Reilly

317. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of providing the WALK PEER employment support service model in all 26 counties. [33980/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Brendan Griffin

318. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if the back to education allowance can be made available in a case (details supplied) in which the person is in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment has a level 9 qualification since 2018 and cannot secure employment with that qualification; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34002/21]

Pension Provisions

Michael Creed

319. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive a decision on their contributory pension application. [34039/21]

Community Employment Schemes

Róisín Shortall

320. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the 3 July 2017 ruling on community employment schemes that directly affects participants who are over 55 years of age who will see their time allowed on schemes reduced from six to three years based on a number of grounds (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34059/21]

Employment Support Services

Claire Kerrane

321. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons employed in the local employment service and job clubs. [34072/21]

Rental Sector

Claire Kerrane

322. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications received for rent supplement in 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; the corresponding number approved and rejected for each year; the number of these applications approved on the grounds of domestic abuse; the cost of paying rent supplement in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34076/21]

Pension Provisions

Claire Kerrane

323. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to legislate to provide for annual increases in the State pension to be benchmarked at 34% of earnings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34077/21]

Social Insurance

Claire Kerrane

324. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of plans for the next actuarial review of the social insurance fund. [34078/21]

Childcare Services

Claire Kerrane

325. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports available to parents who have a baby via surrogacy. [34079/21]

Departmental Staff

Claire Kerrane

326. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of departmental staff who are working remotely. [34081/21]

Money Advice and Budgeting Service

Claire Kerrane

327. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to review the changes in structure to MABS through the recent regionalisation of the service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34082/21]

Pension Provisions

Claire Kerrane

328. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps that have been taken to date to examine options for a pension solution for carers as committed to in the programme for Government. [34083/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Claire Kerrane

329. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection when the report into the poverty impact assessment of reduced rates of jobseeker’s payments for those aged 18 to 25 as committed to in the Social Welfare Act 2019 will be published. [34085/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Claire Kerrane

330. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection when she plans to introduce the cost of a disability payment as committed to in the programme for Government. [34086/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Claire Kerrane

331. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the current number of persons with a disability in receipt of the wage subsidy scheme and the ability programme. [34087/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Claire Kerrane

332. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to review the back to education allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34088/21]

State Pensions

Claire Kerrane

333. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of plans to introduce auto-enrolment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34089/21]

State Pensions

Claire Kerrane

334. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of work to allow those without a full PRSI contribution record to continue to make contributions beyond pensionable age. [34090/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Claire Kerrane

335. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if participants on the short-term enterprise allowance require the support of the local development company; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34091/21]

Departmental Reviews

Claire Kerrane

336. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of times the Child Maintenance Review Group has met since it was established; the date for the report to be furnished to her; and if she plans to publish the report thereafter. [34092/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Claire Kerrane

337. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications made for the Covid-19 enhanced illness benefit since it was introduced; the corresponding number approved and rejected; the current average processing time; the number of persons who qualified that moved onto illness benefit therefore requiring the support for longer than ten weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34093/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Claire Kerrane

338. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the commitment in the Roadmap for Social Inclusion to develop and consult on a strawman proposal for the restructuring of long-term disability payments to simplify the system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34094/21]

Departmental Reviews

Claire Kerrane

339. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will publish the review into contracted employment services. [34095/21]