Parliamentary questions

Social Welfare Code

Patrick Costello

297. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider allowing persons in receipt of disability allowance to not take into account the cost of their monthly rent when doing disability allowance means test assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5034/24]

State Pensions

Louise O'Reilly

298. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection whether contributions made from working in a country (details supplied) can be used to calculate entitlements to a contributory pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5036/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Louise O'Reilly

299. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is a way to have contributions for self-employed persons working the requisite number of hours to qualify for carer's benefit where they do not pay contributions in class A, B, C, D, E and H; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5039/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Cormac Devlin

300. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is aware of a case (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5066/24]

Disability Services

Pauline Tully

301. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full year cost to increase the number of advocates in the National Advocacy Services for People with Disabilities to 50. [5192/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Bernard Durkan

302. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in determining an appeal (details supplied); when a final determination is likely to issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5217/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Brendan Griffin

303. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an application for invalidity pension in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5218/24]

Official Travel

Peadar Tóibín

304. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of times she embarked on visits to foreign countries on behalf of the State since the formation of the Government; the geographical location of each visit; the number of days she abroad on such trips; the dates upon which each trip took place; and the associated travel and accommodation costs which were incurred by her Department in relation to each trip, in tabular form. [5249/24]

Departmental Staff

Denis Naughten

305. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection her total Departmental headcount; the headcount for staff dealing with social assistance claims; the corresponding figure for social insurance claims; the average processing time for each social assistance and social insurance scheme respectively; the number of applications under each scheme in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5338/24]

Departmental Advertising

Peadar Tóibín

306. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount spent on traditional and online advertising by her Department in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [5356/24]

Departmental Contracts

Peadar Tóibín

307. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has spent money or sought external assistance with Departmental, Ministerial public relations; if so, the cost; and the name of the agencies, consultants and companies involved in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [5374/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Peadar Tóibín

308. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount spent by her Department on legal costs or legal services in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [5392/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Peadar Tóibín

309. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount spent by her Department on the procurement of office space and furniture and office IT equipment in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024. [5410/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Brendan Griffin

310. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection when a jobseeker's payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5426/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Niamh Smyth

311. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review a case (details supplied); if she will provide advice on same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5504/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Neasa Hourigan

312. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to reassess the criteria around the duration a person can be in receipt of partial capacity benefit, in the case of both someone moving from illness benefit and someone moving from an invalidity pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5541/24]

Social Welfare Code

Michael Creed

313. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite arrangements for the delivery of PPS numbers to EU applicants wishing to work here in the construction sector; if she is aware that the construction industry has indicated that its international recruitment efforts are being hampered by this delay of up to 12 weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5561/24]

State Pensions

Paul McAuliffe

314. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection how many adults over the age of 66 years are in receipt of the increase for qualified adult under the State pension (contributory). [5568/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Paul McAuliffe

315. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection for a breakdown in tabular form of the amount of carer’s allowance applications that were appealed; and how many appeals were successful in the years: 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. [5569/24]

Industrial Relations

Niall Collins

316. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will agree to a request (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5654/24]

Departmental Investigations

Ivana Bacik

317. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will make a statement on the SCOPE investigation into RTÉ; and if her Department is in a position to project when all cases will conclude. [5684/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Michael Healy-Rae

318. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5692/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Bernard Durkan

319. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason payment of mortgage interest supplement was stopped in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5694/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Patricia Ryan

320. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the case of a person (details supplied) will be examined; and if assistance will be provided given the circumstances. [5710/24]

School Meals Programme

Michael Healy-Rae

297. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps a school should take in circumstances (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4795/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Robert Troy

298. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection why a person's (details supplied) jobseeker's payment was stopped recently. [4661/24]

Widow's Pension

James Lawless

299. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection in light of the recent Supreme Court ruling (detailed supplied), whether there are plans in place to legislate for where an unmarried partner is entitled to a partner's pension in the event of their death; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4667/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Patrick O'Donovan

300. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who have received a deportation order from the Department of Justice and continue to be in receipt of a social welfare payment or payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4675/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Willie O'Dea

301. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the carer's allowance was payable to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4682/24]

State Pensions

Denis Naughten

302. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delay in processing a pension application for a person (details supplied) which was originally lodged in July 2023; if the application will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4729/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Brendan Griffin

303. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision will be made on an appeal in respect of a carer's allowance (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4741/24]

State Pensions

Claire Kerrane

304. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are any arrangements in place to provide income support for a person (details supplied) given they are a taxpayer in this country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4751/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Michael Creed

305. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection the outcome of a review of a disability allowance payment (details supplied). [4773/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

John McGuinness

306. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if a carer's allowance will be approved for a person (details supplied). [4774/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Éamon Ó Cuív

307. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the sections of the Acts that provide that a person is not regarded as unemployed for jobseeker's benefit purposes, for any day that they are actively engaged in farming; whether it is intended to change this provision on the basis that many people engaged in farming in a small way also engage in full-time employment at the same time (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4777/24]

State Pensions

Michael Healy-Rae

308. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person on farm assist can make paid contributions towards their pension before the age of 66 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4789/24]

Departmental Schemes

David Stanton

309. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of claims lodged with her Department from County Cork households under the humanitarian assistance scheme following the damage caused to households by Storm Babet in October 2023; the number of claims that have been processed to date; the number of these claims allowed; the total amount paid out to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4846/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Bernard Durkan

310. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) can expect a resolution to their application for jobseeker's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4856/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Bernard Durkan

311. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) qualifies for fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4860/24]

Tax Rebates

Claire Kerrane

91. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection with regard to the dental and optical tax rebate, if consideration has been given to reviewing the procedures covered by same to ensure that workers can avail of this support for essential dental and optical procedures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4485/24]

Widow's Pension

John Lahart

92. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Social Protection the terms of the widows' or widower's pension, particularly in respect of non-married or co-habiting couples; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4343/24]

School Meals Programme

Fergus O'Dowd

93. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to address the needs of coeliac diagnosed children with regard to the ever-growing and welcome roll-out of the school meals programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4404/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Mark Ward

94. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection what options are open to a person who was previously in full-time employment and is now in full-time education in regard to availing of social welfare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4406/24]

State Pensions

Bernard Durkan

95. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of eligibility for an increase in the rate for a qualified adult in respect of a State pension (contributory) in the case of a person (details supplied); if she will list the information still outstanding, if any; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4408/24]

Social Welfare Code

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

96. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of expanding Catherine’s Law to exempt the receipt of scholarships or grants from An Chomhairle Ealaíon by recipients of disability allowance or the blind pension from their means testing. [4476/24]

Social Welfare Code

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

97. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of expanding Catherine’s Law to exempt the receipt of the basic income for the arts scheme by recipients of disability allowance or the blind pension from their means testing. [4477/24]

School Meals Programme

Michael Ring

98. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Social Protection if a programme could be extended to a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4489/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Denis Naughten

99. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm that Irish citizens can only receive child benefit if the child is resident within the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4519/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Michael Healy-Rae

100. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review an overclaim for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4587/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Violet-Anne Wynne

101. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) was refused an exceptional needs payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4632/24]