Parliamentary questions

Job Creation

Niall Collins

338. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of jobs clubs (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35898/21]

Personal Public Service Numbers

Richard Bruton

339. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to a delay in issuing PPSNs to new born babies as in a case of a child (details supplied); and if cases will be fast tracked in cases in which there is a need to obtain a passport for essential travel. [35905/21]

Social Welfare Appeals

John McGuinness

340. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an appeal for a carer’s allowance will be expedited for a person (details supplied). [35920/21]

Social Welfare Appeals

John McGuinness

341. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an appeal for a carer’s allowance will be expedited for a person (details supplied). [35923/21]

Departmental Data

Noel Grealish

342. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount of interest her Department has been charged for savings or other funds on deposit in Irish banks since negative interest rates were introduced by year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35940/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Michael Ring

343. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 851 of 15 June 2021, the location of the monthly child benefit payments to the approximately 4,000 recipients who do not reside in the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35990/21]

Birth Certificates

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

344. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a birth certificate application by a person (details supplied) will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36008/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

345. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of families and children who received the back to school clothing and footwear allowance in 2020. [36013/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Bernard Durkan

346. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the eligibility for the back to education allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36020/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Louise O'Reilly

347. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the enterprise support grant for businesses impacted by Covid-19 is not available for those who closed their Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment on or after 1 May 2021 given many businesses reopened in May and are excluded from the scheme due to the 1 June 2021 date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36026/21]

Departmental Schemes

Paul Murphy

348. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to introduce new work placement experience programmes for the unemployed (details supplied); if so, when it will be launched; the outlines of the schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36028/21]

Freedom of Information

Catherine Murphy

349. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of occasions her Department has refused to process a request under freedom of information using section 15(1)(g) of the Freedom of Information Act 2014; and the number of persons that have applied since January 2014. [36033/21]

Departmental Schemes

James Lawless

350. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if the travel pass scheme can be extended to persons (details supplied) who have epilepsy and may not be able to drive due to the condition; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36041/21]

State Pensions

James Lawless

351. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will examine a situation in relation to difficulties with the pension of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36042/21]

Employment Schemes

Éamon Ó Cuív

352. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection when it is planned to look for tenders for a national employment service; the remit this service will have; the body providing the services at present that will be provided by the successful tenderer; if this tender will provide totally new services not being provided at present by the State, directly or indirectly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36048/21]

Social Welfare Appeals

Paul Murphy

353. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of individual cases heard by the Social Welfare Appeals Office in the context of scope section appeals on an annual basis over the past ten years given that the Chief Appeals Officer has stated in the Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands the appeals are heard with a number of cases attached to each one. [36092/21]

Freedom of Information

Catherine Murphy

354. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is satisfied in the context of the freedom of information publication scheme that all logs are published and up to date in compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2014; if not, the reason they are not published; and if she will update them as a matter of priority. [36131/21]

Freedom of Information

Catherine Murphy

355. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount collected on an annual basis since the Freedom of Information Act 2014 commenced in respect of fees attached to freedom of information requests submitted to her Department. [36149/21]

Freedom of Information

Catherine Murphy

356. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of freedom of information requests refused by her Department since the Freedom of Information Act 2014 commenced for the reason that search and copy costs would exceed the maximum threshold; the number of requests that were subsequently granted following engagement with the requester to narrow the scope of the request; and the costs associated with same. [36167/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Seán Haughey

357. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will facilitate employees of an airline (details supplied) to continue to receive jobseeker’s benefit when eligibility for this payment has been exhausted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36177/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Violet-Anne Wynne

358. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection if provisions were made to accommodate distance learning throughout the pandemic for those in receipt of social welfare payments; and if so, the number of courses available and or number of persons who registered and availed of these courses by county in tabular form. [36242/21]

State Pensions

Réada Cronin

359. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person who has worked all their adult life can be denied their old age pension with notification that arrears will not apply in their case due to a debt to the Revenue Commissioners of under €1,700 on which a repayment arrangement has been agreed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36322/21]

Social Welfare Payments

Réada Cronin

360. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of social protection payments that have been denied due to debts to the Revenue Commissioners both with repayment arrangements and without arrangements in each of the past five years and to date in 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36323/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Thomas Pringle

361. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that an application for carer’s allowance was submitted to her Department in respect of a person (details supplied); and when a decision will be made on the application. [36349/21]

State Pensions

Bernard Durkan

362. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an invalidity pension in the case of a person (details supplied) in respect of which a review was requested on foot of updated documentation from their general practitioner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36378/21]

Employment Schemes

Steven Matthews

363. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department is considering additional measures or initiatives to help address the extremely high rate of youth unemployment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36293/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Cian O'Callaghan

364. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if it is possible to receive the pandemic unemployment payment retrospectively in cases in which a person did not claim the payment at the time despite being entitled to it; if so, the process for making a claim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36402/21]

Employment Schemes

Richard Bruton

365. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the job activation measures being considered by her Department in order to facilitate persons going back to work; the work she is focussing on to optimise the opportunity to transition persons from a position of unemployment over to the highly successful biopharma, medtech, information and communications technology and foodtech sectors in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36425/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Brendan Griffin

366. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) has had their pandemic unemployment payment withdrawn; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36434/21]

Youth Unemployment

Violet-Anne Wynne

367. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress of the Pathways to Work strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36436/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Pauline Tully

368. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated annual expenditure on the disability allowance for 2021; the estimated additional cost of increasing disability allowance payments by €5, €15 and €20, respectively for those currently in receipt of this payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36450/21]

Disability Services

Pauline Tully

369. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the funding that was allocated for assistive technologies for persons with disabilities in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, respectively; the unmet need for assistive technologies in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, respectively; the additional funding needed to increase funding for assistive technologies by 5%, 10% and 25%, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36451/21]

Disability Services

Pauline Tully

370. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the funding allocated to the disability awareness support scheme in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; the additional cost of increasing funding to the scheme by 5%, 10% and 25%, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36452/21]

State Pensions

Pauline Tully

371. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated additional cost of introducing a total contribution approach to the State pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36453/21]

Disability Services

Pauline Tully

372. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated additional cost of increasing the earnings disregard for the disability allowance by €10, €50 and €100, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36454/21]

Disability Services

Pauline Tully

373. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the maximum period a person with a disability can spend with the EmployAbility service; the estimated additional cost of increasing the duration of participation with the EmployAbility service by one week, one month and three months, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36455/21]

Food Poverty

Louise O'Reilly

374. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the details of the new working group to tackle the issue of food poverty; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36516/21]

Registration of Births

Gary Gannon

375. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the average time for birth registration in the Civil Registration Office in the Lombard St. office; if there was a backlog before the HSE cyber-attack; if the office has caught up on this backlog; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36556/21]

Employment Schemes

Claire Kerrane

102. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason she is proposing a move away from the not-for-profit model which currently exists for contracted employment services, local employment services and job clubs to a payment-by-results model as per the recent tender launched by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35200/21]

Employment Schemes

Seán Sherlock

103. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of proposed public tendering of local employment schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35630/21]

Community Employment Schemes

Claire Kerrane

104. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to issues communities and organisations are facing in filling community employment places; if so, if she will consider removing limitations on the length of time those aged over 55 years can spend on a community employment scheme, especially in cases in which there is no one there to replace them as a solution to the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35201/21]

Disability Services

Gary Gannon

105. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of disability for persons and families, on which there is a commitment in the programme for Government. [35631/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Joan Collins

106. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if the pandemic unemployment payment will be reviewed as workers return to work; if the payment will remain open beyond 1 July 2021; and if workers who return to work on fewer hours or on a reduced hourly rate of pay will retain their payment level based on their weekly pay pre-March 2020. [35754/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Steven Matthews

107. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to cases whereby persons currently in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment are offered short-term, temporary work; if they will be allowed return to the payment following the completion of this work; if not, if they will they be required to apply for jobseeker’s allowance; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the latter may act as a disincentive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35268/21]

Pension Provisions

Dara Calleary

108. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress on the provision of pensions for community employment scheme supervisors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35338/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Gary Gannon

109. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of removing the 13-week requalification period for those persons on partial capacity benefit; and the status of removing the 13-week anomaly by early intervention and referral. [35390/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Steven Matthews

110. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to cases whereby full-time musicians who are currently in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, due to the ongoing closure of their industry, are receiving phone calls from social welfare officers to ask if they have considered moving to the jobseeker's payment; if this is an operational procedure by her Department; if all persons in receipt of the PUP are likely to receive such a call; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34832/21]

Proposed Legislation

Joan Collins

111. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has, in conjunction with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, initiated the drawing up of anti-victimisation and blacklisting legislation within six months in line with the recommendation in the report of the Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands entitled, Examination of Bogus Self-Employment, published on 16 June 2021; and if so, when this legislation will be published. [35331/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Réada Cronin

112. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Social Protection if in the event of longer restrictions in the matter of the pandemic, she will commit to increasing expenditure on the pandemic unemployment payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31891/21]

Pension Provisions

Seán Sherlock

113. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of pension entitlements for community employment supervisors. [35357/21]

Poverty Impact Assessment

Claire Kerrane

114. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection when she plans to publish the poverty impact assessment of the reduced rates of jobseeker's payments for young persons in consideration of the serious inadequacy of these rates and the impact of the pandemic on youth unemployment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35179/21]

Employment Support Services

Rose Conway-Walsh

115. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the profit-focused approach set out in a tender for the expansion of local employment services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35409/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Brendan Griffin

116. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the treatment of seasonal workers who had not returned to work prior to the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020; the way her Department plans to deal with these cases into the future given the severe reduction in contributions made due to their loss of employment due to Covid; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35297/21]

Bord na Móna

Denis Naughten

117. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 489 of 10 February 2021, the steps which she has taken to address the plight of workers as outlined in the correspondence referenced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34172/21]

Social Welfare Offices

Aindrias Moynihan

118. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures being taken to ensure continuance of face to face appointments for the public with community welfare officers given the importance of this service continuing and not being on a virtual office basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35345/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Mick Barry

119. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider not reducing the pandemic unemployment payment given the level of poverty experienced by those on social protection payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34794/21]

Disability Services

Claire Kerrane

120. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps she plans to take in order to introduce a cost of disability as committed to in the Programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35181/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Claire Kerrane

121. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has examined the estimated number of persons who will remain on the pandemic unemployment payment by September 2021 and who will therefore see a reduction in their payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35182/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Peadar Tóibín

122. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has met with or engaged with employers in particular with small business owners who are experiencing difficulties with staff recruitment allegedly due to the fact that persons are reluctant to come off the pandemic unemployment payment. [34501/21]

Employment Support Services

Brian Stanley

123. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the level of funding allocated to local employment services and jobs clubs in 2019 and 2020. [35008/21]

Youth Unemployment

Mick Barry

124. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures she will take to tackle the crisis of youth unemployment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34795/21]

Programme for Government

Holly Cairns

125. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps she is taking to fulfil the Programme for Government commitment to’ develop a carer’s guarantee proposal that will provide a core basket of services to carers across the country regardless of where they live. [35288/21]

State Pensions

Richard Boyd Barrett

126. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person in their 80s who has been in receipt of the State pension (contributory) and a qualified adult increase for nearly 20 years and whose spouse is the qualified adult and is also in their 80s has received a means text request from her Department; if this is a random review; if so, if the procedure will be reviewed that allows those over 80 to be randomly reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35265/21]

Youth Unemployment

Brian Stanley

127. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has considered increasing the role of local employment services and jobs clubs as part of the plan to tackle increased unemployment rates for younger persons. [35009/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Claire Kerrane

128. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to extend provision of rent supplement for survivors of domestic abuse beyond 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35180/21]

Social Insurance

Richard Bruton

129. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the capacity the social insurance fund has to support workers in the face of new challenges in the work, life environment; and the way this can best be harnessed. [34509/21]

Employment Schemes

Violet-Anne Wynne

130. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of providing the WALK PEER employment support service model nationally; and her views on the overall use and efficacy of the programme. [35361/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Seán Sherlock

131. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications from airline workers for assistance since April 2021; and the percentage of applications that were successful. [35360/21]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

132. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Social Protection if the thresholds for earnings in relation to qualification for the carer’s allowance can be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35090/21]

Social Welfare Appeals

Patrick Costello

133. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Social Protection the action she will take to account for the ruling from McDonagh versus the Chief Appeals Officer and the Minister for Social Protection. [34754/21]

Crime Prevention

Emer Higgins

134. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps her Department is taking to combat the scam telephone calls and text messages that are being received in relation to her Department’s services. [35417/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

James O'Connor

135. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding requirements to apply a detail-orientated approach to ensure the removal of the pandemic unemployment payment recognising the need to balance potential labour shortages across the services sector and the protection of employees lives and livelihoods; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35273/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Paul Murphy

136. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason Covid-19 support payments for workers are to be cut; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30408/21]

Labour Activation Measures

Brendan Griffin

137. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the role labour activation measures can play in the post-Covid recovery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35296/21]

Youth Unemployment

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

138. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Social Protection the latest figures for youth unemployment; the action that is being taken to tackle the unprecedented levels of youth unemployment that have emerged during the pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29301/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Seán Sherlock

139. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for rent supplement for 2020 and to date in 2021. [35358/21]

Social Insurance

Denis Naughten

140. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has read the recent NESC report on the self-employed. [34171/21]

Departmental Reports

Gary Gannon

141. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 428 of 25 May 2021, the timeline for when the report will be made available; her views on whether it will be available in time to inform Budget 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35391/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Seán Sherlock

142. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount paid out in supplementary welfare for 2020 and to date in 2021; and the areas of payment per county in tabular form. [35359/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Bernard Durkan

143. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which her Department continues to respond expeditiously to applications for various social welfare payments some of which may be Covid-related and some otherwise; if she will ensure that the response is in line with the urgency of the particular case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35279/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Éamon Ó Cuív

144. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans changing the system in which there is a euro per euro deduction in relation to payments of jobseeker’s allowance for those with self-employment outside of farming and fishing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34174/21]

Employment Support Services

Bríd Smith

145. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to meet with representatives of local employment job schemes in relation to the proposed tendering of services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34949/21]

Social Welfare Appeals

Bernard Durkan

146. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she expects appeals against various social welfare decisions to be facilitated in early date including oral hearings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35280/21]

Youth Unemployment

Louise O'Reilly

147. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department is drafting plans to tackle youth unemployment with specific focus on those not in education, employment or training; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29937/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Emer Higgins

148. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who have benefited from the parent’s benefit since its introduction and since its expansion in April 2021 by county. [35416/21]

State Pensions

Brendan Smith

149. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the Total Contributions Approach 2012 review for those effected by the 2012 rate band changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35334/21]

Departmental Schemes

Joan Collins

150. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has initiated the process to establish a dedicated and appropriately resourced employment status unit in the Workplace Relations Commission to examine and provide determinations on employment status regardless of whether they relate to social Insurance, employment or tax obligations as recommended in the report by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands in its Examination of Bogus Self-Employment of 16 June 2021. [35299/21]

Departmental Schemes

Gary Gannon

151. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to expand the free travel scheme for Budget 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35392/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Marian Harkin

152. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will further extend the domestic violence emergency rent supplement scheme past the end of 2021 and consider continuing the scheme on a permanent basis in a post-Covid Ireland. [35377/21]

Workplace Relations Commission

Richard Bruton

153. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the scale of developmental interventions which she views will be necessary in the post-Covid-19 environment; and the innovations she is considering in their delivery. [34508/21]

Workplace Relations Commission

Joan Collins

154. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has initiated the process to amend the Workplace Relations Act 2015 given the publication by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands of its report on the Examination of Bogus Self-Employment report on 16 June 2021 (details supplied). [35332/21]

Pension Provisions

Holly Cairns

155. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps she is taking to fulfil the Programme for Government commitment to develop a pension solution for family carers that recognises their important work. [35287/21]

Crime Prevention

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

156. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps her Department is taking to combat the scam telephone calls and text messages that are being received in relation to her Department’s services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35091/21]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Rose Conway-Walsh

157. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the eligibility criteria in the back of education allowance and jobseeker’s allowance and payment in terms of part-time education to ensure persons on part-time courses are not excluded from both; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35410/21]

State Pensions

Pauline Tully

158. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the efforts she has made in respect of implementing a total contribution approach to the contributory pension system; when this system will be introduced; if this will include a provision for credited contributions that ensures that persons who take time out of the workforce to care for children and loved ones are not disadvantaged; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35355/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Christopher O'Sullivan

159. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the pandemic unemployment payment will continue past September 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30181/21]

Employment Support Services

Seán Sherlock

160. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if her review of the local employment services will include a new tendering process. [35356/21]

Employment Schemes

Cathal Crowe

161. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress on the launch and implementation of the Pathways to Work strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35340/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Bríd Smith

162. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the way her Department will process applications for various social protection payments that require certificates such as birth or death registration given that the recent cyber-attack seems to be impacting the ability to obtain these documents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34950/21]

Employment Schemes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

163. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans in ensuring post-pandemic jobs schemes focus on ensuring quality employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35415/21]