Parliamentary questions

Freedom of Information

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

431. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will investigate the case of a person (details supplied) regarding a disputed deduction of PRSI from post-employment RSU payments made to the person which were calculated at the rate of PRSI in the year of payment rather than at the rate of taxation at the year of cessation of employment as is calculated by the office of the Revenue Commissioners; the basis for the discrepancy with reference to legislation, case law, regulations custom and practice or any other documentary evidence; the way in which for the purposes of the Revenue Commissioners the employment is regarded as having been ceased at the date of termination of employment but seems to be treated by her Department as continuing after cessation when RSU payments are made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33569/21]

Departmental Staff

Sorca Clarke

432. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of workers employed by her Department and in each office or agency under the aegis of her Department that earn less than the living wage of €12.30 per hour; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33597/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Emer Higgins

342. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration is being given to providing a free travel pass to persons who lose their driver licence due to a diagnosis of epilepsy or breakthrough seizures. [32542/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

James O'Connor

343. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the continuation of the pandemic unemployment benefit for the aviation sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32548/21]

Pension Provisions

Johnny Guirke

344. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Social Protection the current position on pension provision for community employment supervisors following the recent negotiations with the relevant unions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32658/21]

Departmental Schemes

Joan Collins

345. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons with disabilities currently availing of the training support grant that was introduced in 2020; and the breakdown of groups of disabled persons that are applying for the grant. [32535/21]

Departmental Schemes

Joan Collins

346. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection the total amount of funding allocated for the training support grant; the courses or training opportunities for which the grant has been used; and her plans to increase the amount of the training support grant in Budget 2022. [32537/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Claire Kerrane

347. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the vote headings and sub-headings for her Department in tabular form. [32544/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Seán Haughey

348. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will allow taxi drivers aged 66 and over to receive for the pandemic unemployment payment as part of the support package announced for the small public service vehicle Industry on 9 June 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32600/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Bernard Durkan

349. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a carer’s allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32602/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Alan Kelly

350. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount her Department and associated agencies have spent on social media advertising since the beginning of January 2021 until 12 June 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32620/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Alan Kelly

351. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount her Department has spent on social media content production since the beginning of January 2021 until 12 June 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32637/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Alan Kelly

352. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount her Department and all associated agencies have spent on public relations consultancy costs since January 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32654/21]

Pensions Reform

Claire Kerrane

353. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 423 of 5 May 2021, the action that has been taken to ensure that those receiving pension payments overseas are no longer subject to bank charges in recognition of the reduction these charges cause to pension payments as a result of recent charges which were not in place before; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32677/21]

Departmental Policies

Christopher O'Sullivan

354. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline her key policy achievements in her Department since 27 June 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32724/21]

Pension Provisions

Thomas Pringle

355. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider extending the back-payment period for late pension claims beyond the six-month limit for extenuating circumstances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32732/21]

Equality Issues

Holly Cairns

356. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which her Department and agencies under her remit are working towards enabling access to employment for persons from minority and or disadvantaged communities, including, but not limited to, persons with disabilities, persons from ethnic minorities, Travellers, Mincéirí; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32746/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Thomas Pringle

357. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will define what is considered a good reason for not making a social welfare claim within the time limit; if she will consider not knowing about eligibility for the payment to be a good reason for women not in control of their household’s finances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32756/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Louise O'Reilly

151. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of special enterprise support grants for self-employed persons issued to date; and the amount of funding provided by county and in tabular form. [32266/21]

Employment Support Services

Louise O'Reilly

152. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the funding that will be provided to deliver the 10,000 places for the work placement experience programme outlined in the Economic Recovery Plan 2021. [32267/21]

Employment Schemes

Louise O'Reilly

153. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the funding that will be provided to deliver an additional 3,000 places on State employment schemes outlined in the Economic Recovery Plan 2021. [32269/21]

Youth Services

Louise O'Reilly

154. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the funding that will be provided to deliver the new youth employment charter and the new EU reinforced youth guarantee process outlined in the Economic Recovery Plan 2021. [32270/21]

Employment Schemes

Louise O'Reilly

155. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the funding that will be provided to deliver the 8,000 JobsPlus scheme places outlined in the Economic Recovery Plan 2021. [32273/21]

Employment Support Services

Louise O'Reilly

156. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the funding that will be provided to deliver the 150 employment case officer job coaches during 2021 to conduct 1,600,000 one-to-one case worker and jobseeker meetings over a rolling 12-month period as outlined in the Economic Recovery Plan 2021. [32274/21]

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]