Questions and answers published after July 2012 can be viewed here. Viewing by Government Department is possible by term or specific dates from March 2016 onwards. Written answers are published as received from departments. To see parliamentary questions published before July 2012, search in Dáil debates.
Questions and answers for Dáil or Seanad term
Page 3 of 28
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Direct Provision Payments
Willie O'Dea
308. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the allowance for adults in direct provision from €38.80 per week to €40, €41, €42, €43, €44 and €45, respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44070/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Direct Provision Payments
Willie O'Dea
309. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the allowance for children in direct provision from €29.80 to €31, €32, €33, €34 and €35, respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44071/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Social Welfare Benefits Data
Willie O'Dea
310. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing payments (details supplied) by €5, €10, €15 and €20, respectively, taking into account increases announced in budget 2020 in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44072/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Fuel Allowance Data
Willie O'Dea
311. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the fuel allowance by one, two, three and four weeks, respectively, in tabular form taking into account increases announced in budget 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44073/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Living Alone Allowance
Willie O'Dea
312. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the living alone allowance by €2, €3, €4, €5 and €6, respectively, taking into account budget 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44074/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Household Benefits Scheme
Willie O'Dea
313. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the full-year expenditure on the household benefits package by benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44075/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Rent Supplement Scheme Data
Willie O'Dea
314. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing rent supplement limits by an average of 10%; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44076/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Free Travel Scheme Data
Willie O'Dea
315. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the expenditure on the free travel scheme taking into account changes announced as part of budget 2020; the estimated cost of increasing expenditure by 10%; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44077/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Telephone Support Allowance
Willie O'Dea
316. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the telephone support allowance by €1, €2, €2.50, €3, €4 and €5, respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44078/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Qualified Child Increase Payments
Willie O'Dea
317. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the qualified child increase in each age bracket by €2, €3, €4 and €5, respectively, taking into account increases announced in budget 2020 in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44079/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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School Meals Programme
Willie O'Dea
318. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing expenditure on the school meals programme by 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%, respectively, taking into account changes announced in budget 2020 in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44080/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Departmental Expenditure
Willie O'Dea
319. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the annual expenditure on the living wage commission; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44081/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Child Benefit Data
Willie O'Dea
320. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing child benefit by €10, €15, €20, €25 and €30, respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44082/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Maternity Benefit Data
Willie O'Dea
321. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing maternity benefit from 26 weeks to 30 and 34 weeks, respectively, for those who have had multiple births; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44083/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Child Benefit Data
Willie O'Dea
322. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of paying a double child benefit payment to parents on the birth of a child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44084/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Jobseeker's Payments
Willie O'Dea
323. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of equalising jobseeker payments for those under 25 years of age to the standard rate in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44085/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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National Advocacy Service
Willie O'Dea
324. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of advocates in the National Advocacy Services for People with Disabilities; the estimated full-year cost of increasing the number of advocates by five, seven, nine and ten staff, respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44086/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Bereavement Leave
Willie O'Dea
325. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of introducing two weeks paid bereavement leave at a rate of €203 per week per parent who has been bereaved of a child under 18 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44087/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Working Family Payment Eligibility
Willie O'Dea
326. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of reducing the hours required to qualify for the working family payment from 19 to 15 hours for lone parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44088/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Social Welfare Code
Willie O'Dea
327. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of allowing lone parents in employment whose children are aged between seven and 14 years of age to receive both jobseeker's transition payment and the working family payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44089/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Social Welfare Code
Willie O'Dea
328. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost in 2020 of extending the jobseeker's transitional payment for lone parents until their youngest child reaches 18 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44090/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Social Welfare Appeals Data
Willie O'Dea
329. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of social welfare appeals lodged in each of the years 2012 to 2018 and to date in 2019; the percentage of appeals which were successful; the average waiting time in each year in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44091/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Departmental Contracts Data
Willie O'Dea
330. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the amount spent on external consultancy reports between May 2016 to date in 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44092/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Free Travel Scheme Data
Willie O'Dea
331. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending the free travel scheme to children in receipt of the domiciliary care allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44094/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Carer's Support Grant
Willie O'Dea
332. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the carer's support grant by €100, €200 and €300, respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44095/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Carer's Allowance Eligibility
Willie O'Dea
333. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the income disregard for carer's allowance from €332.50 single and €665 for a couple to €450 and €900, respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44096/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme Data
Willie O'Dea
334. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the back to school clothing and footwear allowance by €10, €20, €25, €30, €35, €40, €45 and €50, respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44097/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Social Welfare Benefits Data
Willie O'Dea
335. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the State pensions by €5, €10, €15 and €20, respectively, taking into account changes announced in budget 2020 in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44098/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Social Welfare Benefits Data
Willie O'Dea
336. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing each social assistance payment by €5, €10, €15, €20, €25 and €30, respectively, taking into account increases announced in budget 2020 in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44099/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Social Welfare Benefits Data
Willie O'Dea
337. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing all social insurance payments by €5, €10, €15, €25 and €30, respectively, taking into account increases announced in budget 2020 in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44100/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Wage Subsidy Scheme
Willie O'Dea
338. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending the wage subsidy scheme to those in receipt of partial capacity benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44101/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Jobseeker's Benefit
Willie O'Dea
339. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost in 2020 of the new jobseeker's benefit payment for the self-employed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44102/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Departmental Staff Training
Willie O'Dea
340. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if staff in Intreo offices have received disability awareness training; if not, the estimated full-year cost of training all staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44103/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Services for People with Disabilities
Willie O'Dea
341. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her Department provides funding or financial aid towards purchasing assistive technologies for persons with a disability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44104/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Exceptional Needs Payment Data
Willie O'Dea
342. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the expenditure on the exceptional needs payments in each of the years 2012 to 2018 and to date in 2019; the percentage of persons refused an exceptional needs payment to date in 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44105/19]
Thu, 24 Oct 2019
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Housing Adaptation Grant Expenditure
Willie O'Dea
358. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the current expenditure on the housing adaptation grant taking into account changes announced in budget 2020; the full-year cost of increasing expenditure by 10% and 20%, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44106/19]
Wed, 23 Oct 2019
oral
Public Services Card
Willie O'Dea
40. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of the public services card and the findings of the Data Protection Commissioner on same; if enforcement proceedings have been issued by the Data Protection Commissioner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43652/19]
Wed, 23 Oct 2019
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Fuel Allowance Data
Willie O'Dea
42. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the way in which her Department has calculated that an increase in the fuel allowance as announced in budget 2020 will compensate for the increase in carbon tax; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43653/19]
Wed, 23 Oct 2019
oral
Carer's Allowance Eligibility
Willie O'Dea
50. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the impact on the income disregard for carer's allowance was given consideration in view of the increase in the hours permissible to work as announced as part of budget 2020; if the income disregard for carers will be revised in view of the increase in the hours they can work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43603/19]
Wed, 23 Oct 2019
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Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times
Willie O'Dea
54. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the steps which have been taken to address waiting times for processing entitlement to essential social welfare payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43606/19]
Wed, 23 Oct 2019
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National Minimum Wage
Willie O'Dea
60. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the increase in the national minimum wage will proceed on 1 January 2020 if there is a ratified Brexit withdrawal agreement in place prior to that date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43607/19]
Wed, 23 Oct 2019
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Labour Activation Measures
Willie O'Dea
68. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the details on the €2.5 million announced in budget 2020 to target specific job activation and training supports for groups that are most distant from the labour market or have challenges entering the workplace including returnships for women; the number of persons she plans to target with this initiative; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43605/19]
Wed, 23 Oct 2019
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Social Welfare Benefits Reviews
Willie O'Dea
75. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the details of research into funeral poverty as announced in budget 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43604/19]
Tue, 22 Oct 2019
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Insurance Coverage
Willie O'Dea
154. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the insurance industry has refused flood insurance for a number of domestic dwellings in the Limerick city area on the basis of a flood map prepared by a private company based in London and that particular flood map conflicts directly with the most recent flood map for those areas prepared by the OPW; his views on whether the OPW map should be the relevant map for determining flood risk; if the insurance companies will be instructed accordingly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43428/19]
Tue, 22 Oct 2019
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Garda Recruitment
Willie O'Dea
235. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding a person (details supplied) who was interviewed in January 2018 for appointment as a member of An Garda Síochána and has not been admitted to the force to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43017/19]
Tue, 22 Oct 2019
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Medicinal Products Reimbursement
Willie O'Dea
279. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health his plans to sanction the drug osimertinib in view of the fact that a number of persons are using it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42946/19]
Tue, 22 Oct 2019
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State Pension (Non-Contributory) Eligibility
Willie O'Dea
621. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her Department is in the process of contacting recipients of the non-contributory pension querying their entitlement to this payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43173/19]
Thu, 17 Oct 2019
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Medicinal Products Reimbursement
Willie O'Dea
226. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to ensure that persons here suffering with MS will have the same access to medication as persons in Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42814/19]
Thu, 17 Oct 2019
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Child Benefit Payments
Willie O'Dea
311. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a child benefit payment will be transferred to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42826/19]
Wed, 16 Oct 2019
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Special Educational Needs Service Provision
Willie O'Dea
104. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are insufficient ASD units in mainstream schools to accommodate demand; his plans to deal with same; his views on whether establishing an ASD unit in mainstream schools should be entirely at the discretion of the school, particularly in cases in which there is a high level of demand in the catchment area of the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42382/19]