Parliamentary questions

Social Welfare Benefits

Aindrias Moynihan

311. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to review the back to education allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9026/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Pa Daly

312. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) can expect to receive a decision in regard to a carer’s allowance appeal in respect of their spouse; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9065/24]

Social Welfare Payments

James Lawless

313. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection to examine and comment on an issue regarding the household benefits package (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9136/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Bernard Durkan

314. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an application for domiciliary care allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9142/24]

Departmental Staff

Holly Cairns

315. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider allocating each application for carer's allowance to a specific staff member in the relevant section of her Department in order to prevent time-consuming repetition of providing information during the application process. [9170/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Bríd Smith

316. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection in cases in which a worker is not under the provisions of the new statutory sick scheme for workers because they are deemed to be in an employer scheme which is more beneficial, if such workers now effectively have six waiting days before they can access social protection payments; if employers that operate such sick schemes have any legal obligation to pay a worker for days four, five and six under current legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9180/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Robert Troy

317. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will ensure that an invalidity pension application for a person (details supplied) is approved on appeal. [9204/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Willie O'Dea

318. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is aware that the fuel allowance means assessment includes income from the sale of a person’s own home even if they have downsized in retirement; if the Minister will change this rule to bring it in line with other social protection payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9207/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

John McGuinness

319. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if the further review agreed to by her Department has been completed in relation to a domiciliary care allowance application in the name of a person (details supplied), and if so, if the application was approved. [9210/24]

Departmental Staff

Alan Kelly

320. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of WTE staff, by grade working in the special investigation unit of her Department as of 20 February 2024. [9259/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Brendan Griffin

321. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a domiciliary care allowance award in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry who was waiting for a HSE assessment will be backdated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9281/24]

Energy Prices

Michael Healy-Rae

322. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on a matter (details supplied) relating to cancer patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9344/24]

Departmental Data

Mairéad Farrell

323. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that persons in receipt of disability allowance must share their boarding pass with her Department in order to avail of their 14 day holiday entitlement; the length of time this information is held by her Department; what the information included in these travel documents is used for by her Department; and the legislative basis for requesting this information. [9372/24]

Social Welfare Schemes

Cathal Crowe

324. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider revising the long-term carers contribution scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9379/24]

Data Centres

Cormac Devlin

325. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the location of the data centre or centres used by her Department; the reason it was chosen; the distance it is from her Department’s offices; if she will identify the centres used by each agency under her Department’s aegis; and the distance these data centres are to their offices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9393/24]

School Meals Programme

Noel Grealish

182. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Social Protection they way in which a company applies to provide school meals under the school meals programme; when applications will open and the way in which applications are made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8570/24]

Departmental Correspondence

Michael Lowry

183. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection if a prepaid return envelope can be included when requests are issued from the child benefit section asking parents to confirm their children's details concerning continued entitlement to child benefit payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8418/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Paul Kehoe

184. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of the review of the disability allowance means review for a person (details supplied), and when she could expect payment to increase; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8421/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Paul Kehoe

185. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection following the welcome news that full-time second level students over 18 years of age will be re-eligible for child benefit from May, if the arrears of missing months before May will be paid from when they turned 18; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8423/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

John McGuinness

186. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if a one-parent family payment will continue to be paid to a person (details supplied). [8428/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Brendan Howlin

187. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if, pending the submission of additional information requested for a disability allowance for a person (details supplied), she will allow continued payment of the allowance until eligibility has been established; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8438/24]

Parental Leave

Fergus O'Dowd

188. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Social Protection to respond to concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8442/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Brendan Griffin

189. 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. [8474/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Bernard Durkan

190. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a disability allowance will be made available in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8577/24]

Personal Public Service Numbers

Bernard Durkan

191. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a PPS number might issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8581/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Bernard Durkan

192. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the eligibility for disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8583/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Bernard Durkan

193. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the entitlement to an appropriate payment in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8586/24]

Social Welfare Code

Bernard Durkan

194. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the maximum hours or income a person (details supplied) can work or receive to retain the one-parent family payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8604/24]

Social Welfare Code

Frankie Feighan

107. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she would consider reviewing the means test for non-contributory and part-contributory pensioners who may rent their home and live with relations or friends, within the framework of the next budget, to incentivise older people who have options around moving in with relatives and may have sizeable homes to consider the rental market without a serious implication for their income. [8148/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Louise O'Reilly

108. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if any changes to provide children's benefit payments to 18-year-olds in full-time education will be backdated for the school year in which the change is introduced. [8162/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Michael Lowry

109. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection when the ruling concerning the free fuel allowance, which states that a household payment can only be paid when the residence is on an approved site (publicly or privately owned) with planning permission for the caravan or mobile home, was introduced and if this ruling will be reviewed in cases where someone lives in a residence without planning permission, such as when an additional mobile home or caravan is placed, as these ‘additional’ places of residence are not currently legally distinct households, impacting a person’s eligibility for fuel allowance in view of the current housing crisis and lack of availability of houses to rent, and many families find themselves with no option but to move a mobile home or caravan onto their parents’ site or land in an effort to avoid homelessness; if an exception can be made from this ruling to enable many struggling families to qualify for free fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8266/24]

Social Welfare Code

Chris Andrews

110. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider increasing the hours a person in receipt of the full rate of carer’s allowance is permitted to work from 18.5 hours to 20 hours a week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8333/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Michael Creed

111. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details provided) who has been denied a benefit payment recently has sufficient contributions to be eligible for a contributory pension when they reach 66 years in January of next year; if she will review the decision to refuse the benefit payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8343/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Paul McAuliffe

112. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on a carer's allowance application for a person (details supplied). [8351/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Michael Creed

113. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite a decision on a carer's allowance application (details supplied). [8390/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Seán Sherlock

51. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if, in light of the recent Government decision to grant payments of child benefit, she will work with her counterpart, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and consider fast tracking the proposed payment to foster carers. [8074/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Michael Collins

54. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection her current policy regarding the carer’s allowance (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8086/24]

Fuel Poverty

Gary Gannon

62. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on her Department's work on combating energy poverty. [7892/24]

Pension Provisions

Gary Gannon

64. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the work that remains in the process of introducing the auto-enrolment pension scheme. [7893/24]

Social Welfare Rates

Gary Gannon

66. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on whether the domiciliary care allowance payment of €340 per month is sufficient to care for a child with a severe disability that requires full time care and attention. [7889/24]

Departmental Schemes

Paul Murphy

67. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will extend the free travel scheme to all social welfare recipients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7897/24]

Poverty Impact Assessment

Paul Murphy

68. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if a poverty impact assessment was carried out into extending child benefit to 18 year-olds in full-time education or training compared to extending it to 16, 17 and 18 year-olds not in full-time education or training; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7895/24]

Departmental Schemes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

69. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the work to operationalise the recommendations in the review of the reasonable accommodation fund and the disability awareness support scheme, and the plans to launch a reformed scheme this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7230/24]

Social Welfare Schemes

Matt Carthy

70. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she intends to add additional schemes to those currently deemed non-assessable income with regard to farm assist; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7886/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Paul Murphy

71. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will extend child benefit to 16, 17 and 18 year-olds not in full-time education or training; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7894/24]

State Pensions

Alan Dillon

72. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the changes to the State contributory pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7876/24]

Departmental Reviews

Claire Kerrane

73. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the Green Paper on Reform of Disability Payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7802/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Christopher O'Sullivan

74. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection to consider increasing the weekly earnings disregard for disability allowance recipients as when using the benefit of work estimator (details supplied) recipients seem to have less take home now post budget than before; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7804/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Michael Lowry

78. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the implementation of the new pay-related jobseeker's benefit system; how this reform is improving the social welfare system for persons with a strong work history so they can receive enhanced benefits if they lose their employment; what measures are being taken to ensure its successful implementation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7455/24]

Departmental Schemes

Thomas Gould

79. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the Irish Sign Language Act voucher scheme is to be suspended. [7906/24]

Community Employment Schemes

David Stanton

81. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to expand and develop the community employment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7805/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Richard Bruton

82. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider undertaking a pilot to inviting people to check if they are getting their full entitlements and targeting categories of persons who may be more likely to be missing out, perhaps in co-operation with other public bodies that may experience underpayment of benefits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7860/24]

Departmental Data

Pádraig O'Sullivan

83. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of families in Cork city and county that have benefited from the double child benefit payment in December 2023, and from the January 2024 cost of living bonus, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7774/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Ciarán Cannon

84. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the changes to child benefit for 18 year-olds. [7883/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

85. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has considered whether illness benefit can be extended to self-employed persons. [7913/24]

Social Welfare Schemes

David Stanton

86. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline her plans to expand and develop the Tús initiative; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7806/24]

Legislative Programme

Rose Conway-Walsh

87. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the legislative programme. [3501/24]

Social Welfare Code

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

88. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection whether she has considered the situation of those providing kinship care, and the discrepancy between the financial supports provided to kinship carers by comparison to non-familial foster carers. [7915/24]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Emer Higgins

89. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider allowing children suffering hair loss to avail of the grants for wigs based on their parents PRSI contributions. [7786/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Richard Bruton

90. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has considered initiatives to identify the extent of underclaiming of entitlements from her Department by categories such the low paid at work, by carers, and by pensioners, for whom rules of entitlement may be poorly understood; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7859/24]

Pension Provisions

Niamh Smyth

91. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline the specifics regarding the pension entitlements being worked on for carers by her Department presently; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7584/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Christopher O'Sullivan

92. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) who claimed jobseeker's benefit for self-employed and exhausted that benefit, is treated differently from a person who claimed jobseeker's benefit and exhausted that benefit when applying for the benefit for 65 year-olds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7803/24]

Pension Provisions

Matt Carthy

93. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection if, in light of recent court judgments, she intends to provide State pension entitlements to the long-term non-married partners of deceased persons. [7885/24]

Poverty Impact Assessment

Paul Murphy

94. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will carry out a poverty impact assessment of extending child benefit to 16, 17 and 18 year-olds not in full-time education or training; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7896/24]

Departmental Reviews

Éamon Ó Cuív

95. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection when it is intended to introduce changes to means testing based on the report being prepared by her Department on means testing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7780/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

97. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the fact that standard disregards for maintenance that apply in the means testing of other payments do not apply in the means testing of the guardians payment non-contributory. [7914/24]

Poverty Data

Gary Gannon

98. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection what measures will be taken to respond adequately to the report carried out by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, and presented to the United Nations, which found that the State was failing to address the root causes of poverty through its ''short-term, emergency and temporary measures". [7890/24]

State Pensions

Bernard Durkan

99. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she might review cases where a contributory State pension was refused on the grounds of insufficient contributions, with particular reference to allowing partial payment in line with the level of contributions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7788/24]

Departmental Strategies

Alan Farrell

100. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the Government’s ‘Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025’; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4001/24]

Departmental Bodies

Marc Ó Cathasaigh

101. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection to report on the latest meeting of the Smart Energy Steering Group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7856/24]

Social Welfare Code

Michael Lowry

102. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide details on the steps her Department is taking in addressing the 'cliff-edges' in welfare systems; as she is aware these 'cliff-edges' in the welfare systems are where benefit entitlements and other supports are withdrawn sharply; these 'cliff-edges' disincentivise individuals from increasing their work hours or accepting pay rises as they might end up financially worse off due to the sudden loss of benefits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7456/24]

Departmental Schemes

Pádraig O'Sullivan

103. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the Irish sign language voucher scheme and when will it be introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7775/24]

Social Welfare Code

Michael Lowry

104. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the measures being taken to support low-income families, such as increases in weekly social welfare payments, an increase in the domiciliary care allowance, and increases in the income thresholds for the working family payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7457/24]

Departmental Data

James O'Connor

105. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated amount her Department spent on the farm assist payment in Cork east in 2023; the total number of recipients in Cork east for the same year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7857/24]

State Pensions

Aindrias Moynihan

106. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider including adult dependant recipients who are 80 years and over 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. [7935/24]

Departmental Reviews

Éamon Ó Cuív

108. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made to date with the review of means testing of social protection schemes; when the report arising from this review will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7779/24]

Departmental Data

Catherine Connolly

109. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications received by her Department under the humanitarian assistance scheme in respect of Galway city and county since the flooding in Galway in November 2023; the amount paid out to-date under the scheme to the residents of Galway city and county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7854/24]

Industrial Disputes

Catherine Connolly

110. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 115 of 7 December 2023, for a status update on his Department's engagement with representatives of community employment supervisors and Tús supervisors with a view to resolving the pay gap; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7853/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Thomas Gould

111. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the supports provided to family carers. [7887/24]

Social Welfare Schemes

Seán Sherlock

361. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications and awards for supplementary welfare under the criteria or reference to, the need for mental health supports, by county, in tabular form. [8075/24]

State Pensions

Michael Collins

362. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons over the age of 70 years who are capable and willing to work could be eligible for additional the State pension benefits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8087/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Niamh Smyth

363. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on an application (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7411/24]

Departmental Schemes

Fergus O'Dowd

364. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Social Protection to respond to urgent concerns raised from the local deaf community (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7425/24]

Tax Collection

John Paul Phelan

365. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated additional revenue which will be generated in 2024 from the increases to PRSI announced as part of the Budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7432/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Martin Browne

366. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Social Protection if provision will be made to assess a family (details supplied) for carers allowance before their twin children return from hospital where their parents have been accompanying them since the birth of their children at great financial cost; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7553/24]

School Meals Programme

John Lahart

367. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a progress report on the school meals programme and its successful expansion. [7554/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Niamh Smyth

368. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on plans to extend child benefit for those continuing in secondary education but who have turned 18 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7558/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Colm Burke

369. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to clarify the current position where a person is in receipt of carer’s allowance, and they are also working part-time, but due to hospitalisation are not able to work for a period of time; if there are proposals to amend the current system that does not allow them to qualify for illness benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7573/24]

School Meals Programme

Richard Boyd Barrett

370. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will report on the timeline for the full installation of the hot school meals programme; if there is a commitment by her Department to cover all schools by the next Budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7614/24]

Social Welfare Schemes

Alan Kelly

371. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection how many people benefit from the wage subsidy scheme, by county and by month for 2022, 2023 and for January 2024. [7616/24]

Social Welfare Schemes

Alan Kelly

372. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection how many people under the wage subsidy scheme have lost that payment following the acquiring of hotels and other accommodation settings for Ukrainian refugees and international protection applicants, by month and by county for 2022, 2023 and for January 2024. [7617/24]

Social Welfare Schemes

Alan Kelly

373. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection how many people under the wage subsidy scheme have lost that payment following the acquiring of hotels and other accommodation settings for Ukrainian refugees and international protection applicants, by month and by county for 2022, 2023 and for January 2024. [7618/24]

State Pensions

Seán Canney

374. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person who is in long-term nursing care rents out their principal private residence, which is vacant, will there be any negative implications on their State pension (non-contributory) or any other tax issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7653/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

David Stanton

375. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans she has to backdate the recently announced child benefit payment to families with children who are 18 years of age and over, and who are still attending second level school, to the birth dates of any such children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7677/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

David Stanton

376. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Social Protection with respect to the recently announced child benefit payment to families with children aged 18 and over and who are attending second level school, if she will allow the payment to continue beyond the child’s 19th birthday while they are still attending second level education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7682/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Brendan Griffin

377. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on a redundancy application in respect of a person in County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7689/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Seán Canney

378. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons (details supplied) are eligible for optical benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7694/24]

Departmental Schemes

Holly Cairns

379. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection whether her attention has been drawn to the non-payment of sign language interpreting services under the voucher scheme for interpreters, and the resulting cancellation of all interpreter bookings from 20 February 2024; whether she will ensure that this funding is released urgently in order to allow the deaf community to avail of ISL interpreters under the voucher scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7737/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Emer Higgins

380. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection how child benefit payments are paid per area in Newcastle, Rathcoole and Saggart County Dublin and Celbridge, County Kildare. [7829/24]

Departmental Funding

Catherine Murphy

381. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the 2023 and 2024 current budget funding allocated towards the humanitarian support scheme, in tabular form. [7844/24]