Parliamentary questions

General Register Office

Richard Bruton

434. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is aware that the research room for the general records is now only open one day a week, down from five, which is considerably hampering research; and if she will consider arrangements to make it more accessible. [19415/24]

Departmental Correspondence

Fergus O'Dowd

435. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will respond to concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18733/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Paul McAuliffe

436. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will carry out a review of a disability allowance for a person (details supplied). [18762/24]

Carer's Leave

James Lawless

437. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection to examine the current criteria regarding carers leave/benefits (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18784/24]

Social Welfare Schemes

Bríd Smith

438. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the available State supports for people with disabilities seeking work or already working; if she plans to improve supports; if there are proposals to change these supports in any way in the foreseeable future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18800/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Michael Fitzmaurice

439. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Social Protection with reference to the Departmental contract with An Post, if her Department has put in a penalty clause on any welfare overpayment, given it was always paid back by postmasters who are now being informed of a €500 penalty per overpayment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18824/24]

Broadband Infrastructure

Denis Naughten

440. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of copper communication lines within her Department that are currently in active operation and for which her Department is paying for on a monthly basis, inclusive of ISDN, PTSN and copper-based lease lines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18844/24]

School Meals Programme

Mairéad Farrell

441. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if a DEIS school (details supplied) will receive funding for hot school meals; if so, when this will be approved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18879/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Seán Canney

442. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if people receiving a disability payment and who transfer to the State pension will still be eligible for any additional one-off cost-of-living payments which are made to a person with a disability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18890/24]

State Pensions

Catherine Murphy

443. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for State pension (contributory) that were refused by her Department in each month of 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form. [18899/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Michael Lowry

444. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm the current status of the application for domiciliary care allowance in respect of an individual (details supplied) who was previously unsuccessful; to confirm if the diagnosis of 'Classic PKU - Non-Responsive to Kuvan' (Phenylketonuria) fulfils the qualifying medical criteria for payment of domiciliary care allowance, given that the child does not respond to Kuvan treatment and requires a very specific diet and continuous monitoring on a daily basis for a lifetime; the reason some parents of children diagnosed with this condition qualify for domiciliary care allowance, while others with the same diagnosis do not; to specifically clarify the reason that this applicant was unsuccessful in their application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18927/24]

Social Welfare Schemes

Seán Canney

445. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will address the anomaly whereby people who are wheelchair users and who are receiving a civil service pension and who are not in receipt of a disability allowance cannot access free travel while under 66 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18965/24]

Widow's Pension

Peter Fitzpatrick

446. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Social Protection if the State plans to open eligibility to widow's pension to those who were not legally married but in a long-term committed relationship; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18978/24]

State Pensions

Robert Troy

447. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on a contributory pension investigation (details supplied). [18979/24]

State Pensions

Robert Troy

448. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on a contributory pension investigation (details supplied). [18980/24]

Departmental Data

Thomas Pringle

449. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of disability allowance applications which were submitted in the period 2020 to 2023 and to date in 2024; the number of applications which were successful on first processing; the number which were eventually successful following a review; the number eventually successful following an appeal, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19000/24]

Departmental Data

Thomas Pringle

450. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of carer's allowance applications submitted in each of the years 2020 to 2023 and to date in 2024; the number of applications which were successful on first processing; the number which were eventually successful following a review; the number which were eventually successful following an appeal, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19015/24]

Departmental Data

Thomas Pringle

451. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of invalidity pension applications which were submitted in each of the years 2020 to 2023 and to date in 2024; the number of applications which were successful on first processing; the number which were eventually successful following a review; the number which were eventually successful following an appeal, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19019/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Niamh Smyth

452. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection what protocols are in place for people who refuse the offer of work while in receipt of jobseeker’s payments; if employers are being liaised with; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19027/24]

Social Welfare Payments

John Lahart

453. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is considering any measures that would assist in the reduction of the cost of bin charges for older persons (details supplied). [19043/24]