Parliamentary questions

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Éamon Ó Cuív

164. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the current number of claimants on the pandemic unemployment payment; the steps she plans taking to ensure that workers in the sectors of the economy that will be slowest to recover from the Covid-19 crisis are protected from a sudden change in the payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34173/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Pádraig O'Sullivan

165. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if State supports will be extended beyond 19 July 2021 to persons unable to return to work due to Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35263/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Catherine Connolly

166. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 854 of 15 June 2021, her plans to defer the 13-week requalification period for partial capacity benefit until after the Covid-19 pandemic period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35304/21]

School Meals Programme

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

167. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will extend the hot meals pilot to reach more children and schools that are under the school meals programme.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35284/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Richard Boyd Barrett

168. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if recipients of the pandemic unemployment payment whose payment is reduced to the €203 on 7 September 2021 or the subsequent two dates will be moved to jobseeker’s allowance rather than stay on the payment at the relevant rate; her views on the way this can be justified given the payment is not a jobseeker’s allowance payment but a payment for those whose incomes or jobs continue to be impacted by public health restrictions, such as taxi drivers, musicians and those in the entertainment industry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35264/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Joan Collins

169. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if a gradual tapering of the pandemic unemployment payment will be put in place to protect income if workers are returning to less hours or less pay from their employer than they had before the pandemic in view of the fact that the reopening of workplaces is very precarious especially with the delta variant and potential future variants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35348/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Violet-Anne Wynne

170. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection when the cost of disability payment will be introduced as committed to in the Programme for Government; the status on the measurement and implementation of the cost of disability payment generally. [35362/21]

Youth Unemployment

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

171. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans in place to tackle youth unemployment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35343/21]

State Pensions

Brendan Smith

172. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of measures to address anomalies in the homemaker’s scheme for those who provided the majority of their caring prior to 1994; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35333/21]

State Pensions

John Lahart

173. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Social Protection the outcome of calculations of all new State pension contributory applications from April 2019 who were assessed under all possible rate calculation methods including the new total contributions approach; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35335/21]

Pension Provisions

Claire Kerrane

174. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will examine the marriage requirement in existing legislation in order to qualify for the widow’s pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35183/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Michael Moynihan

175. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the take-up of the enhanced carer’s support grant for 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35342/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

John Lahart

176. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Social Protection the take-up of parent’s leave and parent’s benefit since the extension was announced on 1 April 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35336/21]

State Pensions

Aindrias Moynihan

177. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the engagement that has been had with the Minister for Finance to ensure that adult dependant recipients who are 80 years and over an increase for a qualified adult are included for increase of payment which presently is only available to State pension recipients over 80 years and over; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35344/21]

Departmental Schemes

Denis Naughten

178. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the target processing time for schemes under her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34170/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Thomas Gould

179. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to acknowledge the phenomenal work done by carers throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. [35260/21]

School Meals Programme

Catherine Connolly

180. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the analysis her Department has carried out into the impact of the change to the new regional employment service model on local employment services and jobs clubs; the details on the second phase of the tender process; the timeline for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35305/21]

School Meals Programme

Paul McAuliffe

181. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports in place for the school meals programme over the summer and the extension of the hot school meals programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35337/21]

Departmental Reports

Pauline Tully

182. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection if a report (details supplied) which was commissioned in October 2019 and was originally to be submitted to her Department by quarter 1 of 2020 has been submitted; the timeframe for the publication of the report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35354/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Peadar Tóibín

183. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason no proof of unemployment was required when persons were applying for the pandemic unemployment payment; and the number of instances of fraud or attempted fraud in relation to the payment that were reported to her Department. [34500/21]

Departmental Staff

Denis Naughten

184. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff in her Department that are working remotely on a permanent basis; the number working from home; the number working from a remote hub; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34169/21]

Youth Unemployment

Violet-Anne Wynne

282. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department is working on plans to combat youth unemployment with specific focus on those not in education, employment or training; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30180/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Violet-Anne Wynne

283. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will increase expenditure on the pandemic unemployment payment if further Covid-19 restrictions are required. [32281/21]

Birth Certificates

Holly Cairns

284. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection if it will be ensured that all same-sex parents are facilitated in being recognised as the parents of their children, including being permitted to have both their names on birth certificates. [28648/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Richard Boyd Barrett

285. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider extending the period of time a person can receive jobseeker’s benefit before they are means tested for jobseeker’s allowance temporarily until the job market and the economy has recovered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35442/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Michael Healy-Rae

286. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the pandemic unemployment payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35500/21]

Social Welfare Appeals

Brendan Griffin

287. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on a carer’s allowance appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35507/21]

Public Services Card

Cian O'Callaghan

288. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) will receive a PPS number for their newborn daughter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35508/21]

State Pensions

Marc Ó Cathasaigh

289. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the difficult circumstances that workers who are nearing retirement are faced with whereby they cannot obtain an estimated prediction of their State pensions due to time spent working in jurisdictions outside of Ireland; if her Department is in a position to provide such estimates to persons who are close to retiring; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35514/21]

Vaccination Programme

Pearse Doherty

290. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection if client identity applications can be expedited for persons (details supplied) to access the Covid-19 vaccination programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35523/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Seán Haughey

291. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason applicants for the new transitional payment for persons aged 65 years are deemed ineligible to receive this benefit and considered to be self-employed and engaged in insurable self-employment if they are paying class S contributions arising from sole income from a self-funded private pension scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35531/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

David Cullinane

292. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Social Protection the annual spend on the treatment benefit scheme in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35598/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

293. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) was refused the wage subsidy scheme to enable them to employ a person with a disability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35599/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Brendan Griffin

294. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports that are available for single parents with 50% or less custody of their child and or children; if her Department has considered the issue of single parents with significant minority custody time who may be struggling financially to provide for their children while in their care due to their ineligibility for child benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35602/21]

Social Welfare Appeals

Kieran O'Donnell

295. Deputy Kieran O'Donnell asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35604/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Michael Healy-Rae

296. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if the payment of the fuel allowance for the full year will be examined (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35632/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Gary Gannon

297. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the research being carried out in association with an organisation (details supplied) into the cost of bereavement. [35636/21]

Social Welfare Rates

Róisín Shortall

298. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2022 and in a full year for every 1% and every €1 per week increase in basic social welfare rates by each social welfare payment. [35682/21]

Social Welfare Rates

Róisín Shortall

299. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2022 and in a full year of a €20 per week increase in the basic rate of disability allowance with a proportionate increase for qualified adults and no proportionate increase for qualified adults. [35683/21]

Social Welfare Rates

Róisín Shortall

300. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2022 and in a full year of every €10 increase in the upper income disregard currently €350 applying to disability allowance. [35684/21]

Employment Schemes

Róisín Shortall

301. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the approximate number of job coaches in whole-time equivalent terms currently funded through EmployAbility; the way in which the number has changed in recent years; and the full year cost of every ten additional job coaches. [35685/21]

Social Welfare Rates

Róisín Shortall

302. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2022 and in a full year of restoring the subsidy under the wage subsidy scheme for persons with disabilities to 55%, 60% and 65% of the national minimum wage. [35686/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Róisín Shortall

303. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which she plans to meet the commitment in the Programme for Government to expand the Ability Programme; the funding set aside in 2020 and 2021 for this programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35687/21]

Employment Equality Training

Róisín Shortall

304. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount of funding currently devoted to training for employers in relation to diversity and disability awareness. [35688/21]

Employment Support Services

Róisín Shortall

305. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the funding currently devoted to disability grants and other supports for employers and to the promotion of these amongst employers. [35689/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Bernard Durkan

306. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which the level of Covid-19 related payments has tapered off in recent weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35713/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Bernard Durkan

307. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which there are indications that persons on the pandemic unemployment payment have returned to their previous employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35714/21]

Youth Unemployment

Bernard Durkan

308. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she and her Department have continued to monitor youth unemployment levels; the extent to which such levels have increased or otherwise in recent weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35715/21]

Labour Market

Bernard Durkan

309. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she foresees an improvement culminating in a drop in unemployment levels in all age cohorts as we approach quarter four in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35716/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Bernard Durkan

310. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which exceptional needs payments have been availed of in the past 12 months by various applicants in terms of age profile; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35717/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Bernard Durkan

311. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which satisfactory provision has been made for those retiring at 65 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35718/21]

Cross-Border Co-operation

Bernard Durkan

312. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the degree to which cross-Border employment trends and opportunities are being restored as the levels of Covid-19 recede; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35719/21]

Departmental Budgets

Bernard Durkan

313. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she expects the budgetary requirements of her Department to fluctuate in the next 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35720/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Bernard Durkan

314. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which the number of applications for various social welfare payments has fluctuated over the past 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35721/21]

State Pensions

Bernard Durkan

315. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of State pension (contributory) or State pension (non-contributory) aged 100 years or more; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35722/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Bernard Durkan

316. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for a carer’s allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) will be accepted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35753/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Brendan Griffin

137. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on the request for a disability allowance rate review by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35040/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Richard Bruton

138. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration has been given to adjusting the term of short-term working support to ensure that workers in sectors which continue to be seriously reduced in activity due to continuing Covid-19 restrictions will be able to continue to receive this important supplement to their income which would otherwise expire due to limits on the duration of claims. [35053/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

139. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will intervene in the case of a person (details supplied) involving an application for the over 65s benefit payment. [35082/21]

Maternity Leave

Colm Burke

140. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider proposals for the equal entitlement to mothers of children born through surrogacy to apply for maternity leave, maternity benefits and parental leave; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35112/21]

Community Employment Schemes

Sorca Clarke

141. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection if the workers who were forced onto the pandemic unemployment and are subsequently made redundant will have the length of time on the payment counted towards eligibility for community employment schemes. [35140/21]

Community Employment Schemes

Paul Kehoe

142. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding community employment supervisor pensions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35123/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Pauline Tully

143. 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. [35149/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Pauline Tully

144. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated additional cost of increasing the upper limit of the earnings disregard for the disability allowance from €350 to €400, €450 and €500, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35150/21]

Youth Work Supports

Paul Murphy

145. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the potential abuse of the youth employment support scheme by employers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35162/21]

Departmental Schemes

Paul Murphy

146. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the timeframe and details of the proposed new work placement scheme including the proposed level of remuneration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35163/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Róisín Shortall

147. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider matters raised in correspondence (details supplied) regarding the payment for persons who retire at 65 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35230/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Paul McAuliffe

148. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on a press release (details supplied); if the information is correct; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35231/21]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Michael Healy-Rae

149. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will address a matter in relation to the fuel allowance (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35235/21]

Departmental Strategies

Holly Cairns

150. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps she is taking to fulfil the Programme for Government commitment to review and update the National Carers’ Strategy. [35312/21]

General Practitioner Services

Holly Cairns

151. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps she is taking to fulfil the Programme for Government commitment to extend free general practitioner care to carers in receipt of the carer’s support grant. [35313/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Holly Cairns

152. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on recognising the costs associated with caring in the deductions allowable for carer’s allowance and assess income on its net rather than gross value; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35314/21]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Holly Cairns

153. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on extending eligibility for carer’s benefit to include persons who are self-employed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35315/21]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Holly Cairns

154. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on extending eligibility for domiciliary care allowance to children residing in hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35311/21]

Social Welfare Benefits

Gary Gannon

155. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in each of the past three years who received partial capacity benefit broken down by those who were in receipt of illness benefit and those in receipt of invalidity pension in tabular form. [35393/21]

Social Welfare Rates

Violet-Anne Wynne

156. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the annual incremental increases in the disability allowance each year since 2008, in tabular form. [35395/21]

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]