Parliamentary questions

Social Welfare Payments

Brendan Griffin

220. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on a working family payment application by person in County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21051/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Brendan Griffin

221. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on a one-parent family payment rate appeal by person in County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21052/24]

State Pensions

Willie O'Dea

222. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if an individual (details supplied) has an entitlement to apply for the State pension (contributory), in view of the fact that they have 244 reckonable contributions paid since 2014 and they also have mixed contributions for a number of other years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21057/24]

School Meals Programme

Cathal Crowe

223. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection if a school (details supplied) can reassess how funding allocated by her Department through the hot school meals programme can be spent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21064/24]

Widow's Pension

Mark Ward

224. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if, in the circumstance where someone is in receipt of the widow's pension, works part-time but their job closes during the summer months, there is any additional payment to their widow's pension that they are entitled to during this period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21071/24]

School Meals Programme

Michael Healy-Rae

225. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will comment on a matter with regard to the school meals programme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21090/24]

Personal Public Service Numbers

Bernard Durkan

226. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection to indicate when a PPS number will issue to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21094/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Michael Creed

227. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of an application for domiciliary care allowance by a person (details supplied). [21118/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Michael Creed

228. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection the current situation regarding a claim for carer’s allowance or carer’s benefit by a person (details supplied) in County Cork; the reason this application was refused in light of the compelling medical evidence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21141/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Neasa Hourigan

229. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection the awards made both with and without a tender process to management consultancy firms (details supplied) by her Department and bodies under the aegis of her Department for each of the years 2019 to 2024, in tabular form and classed by firm; the purpose and a brief description of the awards; the value of the awards and the total amounts paid; the timeline or timeframe of the contracts; and the desired or completed output. [21170/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Cian O'Callaghan

299. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a privately run service (details supplied) is obligated to recognise the State travel pass for older people; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20803/24]

Departmental Staff

Darren O'Rourke

300. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of WTE medical officers working in her Department in the years of 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [20157/24]

Pension Provisions

Catherine Connolly

301. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 53 of 20 February 2024, to provide an update on the long-term carers’ contribution scheme; the number of applications received to date; the number approved; the number rejected; the number pending; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20174/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Seán Canney

302. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has plans to address the current legislative anomaly where people who were forced to retire from work on health grounds have been refused free travel as they are not getting a disability payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20175/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Bernard Durkan

303. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied) against the decision to reduce his wife's payment, with particular reference to their high outgoings on medical costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20179/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

304. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person will be permitted to have credits applied to their welfare application (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20228/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

John McGuinness

305. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) has been approved. [20261/24]

Departmental Staff

Carol Nolan

306. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of employees within her Department and bodies under the aegis of her Department who are currently suspended on full pay pending disciplinary investigations; to outline, in tabular form, the length of time these employees have been under suspension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20322/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Brendan Griffin

307. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an application for a training support grant by a person in County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20345/24]

European Union

Matt Carthy

308. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection the EU programmes or funds outside of the multiannual financial framework that Ireland has paid into from the year 2014 to date; any receipts from same, by programme or fund, by year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20363/24]

Social Welfare Code

Sean Fleming

309. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the position if people can apply to have credits towards their pension while they were in receipt of carer's allowance for many years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20386/24]

Social Welfare Code

Richard Bruton

310. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been brought to the anomaly that public sector workers can work to 70 years of age but illness benefit cannot be claimed by those working beyond the age of 66 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20433/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Frankie Feighan

311. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person from County Leitrim (details supplied) was not awarded jobseeker’s benefit despite working for a long number of years before her redundancy; the reason her Department has failed to communicate with the person, despite their best efforts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20485/24]

State Pensions

John McGuinness

312. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for the State pension (non-contributory) will be approved for a person (details supplied); if they are entitled to the State pension (contributory); and if they will be paid supplementary allowance as they have no income. [20492/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Michael Healy-Rae

313. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection about an application for a carer’s allowance (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20543/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Peadar Tóibín

314. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of times persons living in County Galway in receipt of carer’s allowance had their allowance stopped, in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024. [20546/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Peadar Tóibín

315. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in County Galway, who, having been refused the disability allowance, were successful in their appeals of her Department’s decision to refuse, in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024. [20547/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Eoin Ó Broin

316. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm the total expenditure on rent supplement in 2022 and 2023, and the allocation for 2024. [20550/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Seán Sherlock

317. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is discretion on the part of the deciding officer for a late application for paternity benefit (details supplied). [20559/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Brendan Griffin

318. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person in County Kerry (details supplied) can requalify for carer’s benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20561/24]

State Pensions

Robert Troy

319. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will investigate why a person (details supplied), who now qualifies for a higher rate non-contributory pension, did not qualify for a similarly high rate when she first applied, and if this can be rectified. [20610/24]

School Meals Programme

Michael Lowry

320. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm the status of an application for the school meals programme (details supplied); the reason this school did not receive approval in the latest expansion of this initiative; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20614/24]

Social Welfare Code

Pádraig O'Sullivan

321. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the recent extension of child benefit to 18-year-olds in full-time education or those with a disability also includes those who are home-schooled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20624/24]

School Meals Programme

Louise O'Reilly

322. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection how the nutrition standards for school meals are being monitored, implemented and enforced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20627/24]

School Meals Programme

Louise O'Reilly

323. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection what safeguards have been put in place to ensure that the hot school meals programme is being rolled out in accordance with the nutrition standards for school meals; what resources are in place to ensure the standards are being met; if further resources are needed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20628/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Bernard Durkan

324. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of eligibility for a carer’s support grant in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20695/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Paul Kehoe

325. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection if assistance can be offered to a person (details supplied) so the review of his jobseeker's benefit claim can be considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20739/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Catherine Murphy

326. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will re-examine an application for a disability allowance in respect of a person based on the new information provided (details supplied). [20740/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Darren O'Rourke

327. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of section 317 appeals with the appeals office; the average and median time for a decision on section 317 appeals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20744/24]

International Protection

Carol Nolan

328. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount of funding provided to beneficiaries of temporary protection to reimburse them for taxi-related fees through the social welfare system from March 2022 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20782/24]

International Protection

Carol Nolan

329. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount of funding provided to beneficiaries of international protection applicants to reimburse them for taxi-related fees through the social welfare system from 2019 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20783/24]

Social Welfare Code

Cian O'Callaghan

330. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will reassess the means test threshold for carer’s allowance, where people who are providing care are at risk of falling below the poverty line and require higher support from Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20799/24]

Educational Disadvantage

Cian O'Callaghan

331. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason schools that have recently been designated as DEIS schools are not being included in the hot school meals scheme; if she will ensure that a school (details supplied) is granted eligibility for the scheme as soon as possible, as it requires the same support as other DEIS schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20801/24]

School Meals Programme

Sorca Clarke

332. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans she has in place to ensure that children with coeliac disease are properly catered for in the school meals programme; if she will provide additional funding to ensure same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20830/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Michael Healy-Rae

333. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 454 of 30 April 2024. if he will review the matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20858/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Thomas Pringle

334. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on an invalidity pension appeal (details supplied) which has been in processing for a number of months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20894/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Bernard Durkan

185. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the basis on which payment has been refused in respect of carer’s allowance in respect of a person (details supplied); if her case can be fully and independently examined without reference to previous decisions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20123/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Paul McAuliffe

186. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection if a review of the entitlements of a person (details supplied) could be reviewed. [19952/24]

Departmental Policies

David Stanton

187. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has considered classifying Covid-19 as an occupational illness or as an accident at work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19985/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Mattie McGrath

188. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will increase the grant for people who suffer hair loss due to illness to reflect the rising costs of materials; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20032/24]