Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Social Welfare Eligibility

Alan Dillon

136. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline the criteria for assessment for the domiciliary care allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15199/23]

State Pensions

David Stanton

137. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has given consideration to pro-rata contributory pensions in the event that a person has not been able, through circumstances such as illness, to have the current 520 required paid contributions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15152/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Willie O'Dea

138. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of farmers in receipt of the farm assist payment to date in 2023; how this number compares with the same time in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14925/23]

Social Welfare Appeals

Joan Collins

139. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason it is no longer made clear on the Social Welfare Appeals Office’s website that appellants can request an oral hearing. [15195/23]

Social Welfare Code

Steven Matthews

140. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to cases where people in receipt of full disability allowance will see it revoked if they move out of their parental home to get married or to cohabit with their partner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15194/23]

School Meals Programme

Catherine Connolly

141. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 53 of 9 February 2023, the status of the examination of the final report of the review of the school meals programme; when the final report will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15172/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Alan Farrell

142. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the work of her Department to support carers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15186/23]

Social Welfare Code

Éamon Ó Cuív

143. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection if she intends on changing the medical criteria for receipt of invalidity pension to align it with the medical criteria for disability allowance; the reason that these criteria are different at present; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15135/23]

Departmental Meetings

Ruairí Ó Murchú

144. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline the nature, extent and frequency of meetings and talks between her Department and its British counterparts in the past 12 months; if issues such as the delays in providing pension contribution information were discussed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15099/23]

Social Welfare Code

Claire Kerrane

145. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on her Department's review of the extension of the free travel scheme to people with epilepsy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15039/23]

Social Welfare Rates

Bríd Smith

146. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will clarify the last occasion when there was an increase in the energy part of the household benefit package; if she has any plans to raise this allowance in light of the ongoing energy crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15163/23]

Social Welfare Code

Gary Gannon

147. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department will consider targeted measures, such as a social energy tariff, rather than universal payments in its future consumer protection and poverty reduction strategies. [15178/23]

Social Welfare Code

Marc Ó Cathasaigh

148. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps her Department is taking to improve access to the free travel scheme for people with epilepsy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15182/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Ruairí Ó Murchú

149. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are plans to improve the processing times for disability allowance applications; the target timeline for decisions to be made in these applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15098/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Willie O'Dea

150. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of businesses that availed of the disability awareness support scheme in 2022; if there are plans to increase awareness of this scheme in the coming year to support the employment of people with disabilities in the labour force; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14926/23]

Departmental Policies

Holly Cairns

151. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on progress to reform the stillbirth registration process. [14886/23]

School Meals Programme

Richard Boyd Barrett

152. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will extend the school meals programme to all schools by 2023; and if she will ensure that these meals are of a high standard and offer both hot and cold school meals. [14163/23]

Social Welfare Code

Maurice Quinlivan

153. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will report on the requirement for those who apply for an exceptional needs' payment for kitchen items, such as fridges and ovens, to hire with expense, an engineer in order that an engineer’s report can be submitted with the application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8954/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Aindrias Moynihan

154. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications that are now outstanding on the over-70s fuel allowance applications received; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15190/23]

Social Welfare Code

Éamon Ó Cuív

155. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection if she intends on increasing the maximum period a person may receive jobseeker’s benefit from nine months to a year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15134/23]

Social Welfare Code

Emer Higgins

434. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection the financial implications for a person with a diagnosis of autism and in receipt of disability allowance who inherits a home from their parent and the recipient is not a home owner or owner of other property; if the social protection payment is in any way affected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15358/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Peadar Tóibín

435. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the current average waiting time and longest waiting time for social welfare claims, and separately, for claim appeals; and the steps her Department is taking to reduce the backlog of appeals of social welfare claims and the waiting times. [15408/23]

Social Welfare Code

Danny Healy-Rae

436. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will exempt the carer’s payment from a means test (details supplied). [15410/23]

Social Welfare Code

Cian O'Callaghan

437. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the provisions that are in place for women who are rejected for maternity benefit due to insufficient PRSI contributions, when they have been required to travel abroad for mandatory high-level training; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14674/23]

Public Procurement Contracts

Peadar Tóibín

438. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of all procurement competitions, if any, in which companies (details supplied) won contracts from her Department since 2016. [14731/23]

Official Travel

Peadar Tóibín

439. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the total costs of accommodation and travel expenses associated with her recent foreign trip, or foreign trips by Ministers for State at her Department, for St Patrick’s Day; and if a breakdown can be provided on travel costs, accommodation costs, country/state visited, number of departmental staff accompanying her, and the duration of the trip, in tabular form. [14749/23]

State Pensions

Bernard Durkan

440. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether a procedure/method exists whereby a person (details supplied) can care for her two elderly parents but also accrue credits towards her State pension given as she does not appear to qualify for the State pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14753/23]

Social Welfare Appeals

Niamh Smyth

441. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) is still waiting on an appeal decision for carer's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14760/23]

School Meals Programme

Louise O'Reilly

442. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the school meals programme budget by 5%, 10%, 20% and 25%, respectively. [14768/23]

State Pensions

Paul Kehoe

443. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is any mechanism by which a person who has been refused a full State pension (contributory) due to a deficit in contributions can supplement contributions after the fact to become eligible for a full pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14791/23]

State Pensions

Paul Kehoe

444. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is any pathway for a person (details supplied) to apply for additional credits to receive a full contributory pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14800/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Brendan Griffin

445. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an application for invalidity pension by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14825/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Brendan Griffin

446. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an application for invalidity pension by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14838/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Brendan Griffin

447. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if child benefit is payable to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14938/23]

Official Engagements

Paul Donnelly

448. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection if she met her UK counterpart during her recent visit to London for St. Patrick's Day events. [14973/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Bernard Durkan

449. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if assistance via an exceptional needs payment can be provided in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14996/23]

Citizens Information Services

Chris Andrews

450. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Social Protection in relation to the closure of a centre (details supplied), the reason this happened when there were no cost issues; the reason the Citizens' Information Board did not buy the premises when the landlord wanted to sell or rent alternative premises; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15007/23]

Citizens Information Services

Chris Andrews

451. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will arrange a meeting with the CEO and Chair of the Citizens' Information Board to discuss the closure of a centre (details supplied). [15008/23]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Catherine Murphy

452. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the social protection supports and pension payments that a person (details supplied) can avail of. [15014/23]

Citizens Information Services

Jim O'Callaghan

453. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection when she intends to provide a citizens information centre in Rathmines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15019/23]

Citizens Information Services

Jim O'Callaghan

454. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection where the Dublin south citizens information service can be availed of by those living in Dublin 6 and Dublin 6W who need to avail of such services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15020/23]

Community Employment Schemes

Marian Harkin

455. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are any circumstances where a person can access community employment schemes, if they are not in receipt of a qualifying payment, and where there are vacancies on the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15038/23]

State Pensions

Brendan Howlin

456. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the State pension entitlement of a person (details supplied) on a total contribution approach, having regard to all their paid and credited contributions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15048/23]

Social Welfare Appeals

Robert Troy

457. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if an invalidity pension appeal, on behalf of a person (details supplied), will be expedited. [15054/23]

Social Welfare Appeals

Brendan Griffin

458. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an appeal for disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15055/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Brendan Griffin

459. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an illness benefit backdating appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15144/23]

Community Employment Schemes

Bernard Durkan

460. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for an assistant supervisor (details supplied) for a community scheme; when an outcome will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15148/23]

Social Welfare Code

Aindrias Moynihan

461. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider extending the current fuel allowance beyond 10 April 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15191/23]

Social Welfare Appeals

Brendan Griffin

462. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an appeal for a disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15212/23]

State Pensions

Paul Kehoe

463. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) was not awarded a full State pension (contributory); the options available to them at this time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15219/23]

Departmental Meetings

Neasa Hourigan

464. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection if representatives from her Department have met with trade unions representing healthcare workers with long-Covid since June 2022 regarding their pay arrangement; if so, the dates of those meetings; if any of these meetings were cancelled by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15231/23]

Departmental Meetings

Bernard Durkan

465. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if it is possible for her Department to make contact with their counterparts in the UK with a view to determination of entitlement to a UK pension in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15257/23]

Register of Electors

Bríd Smith

466. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will acknowledge the importance of encouraging young people to participate in the democratic process by becoming a registered voter; if she is aware of some of the difficulties young people have in trying to become a registered voter for the first time (details supplied); if there are plans to streamline the process to make it more accessible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15262/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Bernard Durkan

467. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the rate of social welfare payments currently being paid to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15266/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Bernard Durkan

468. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the rate of carer’s allowance payment currently being paid to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15267/23]

State Pensions

Robert Troy

469. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will clarify entitlement to a State pension (non-contributory) for a person (details supplied); if this person should have received any of the cost-of-living supports which were put in place over the winter months; and if this person will be moved to an Irish pension during the course of 2023 following an agreement with the UK pensions service. [15285/23]

Register of Electors

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

470. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is aware how difficult it is to obtain a MyGovID account; and her plans to address this (details supplied) [15286/23]

Social Welfare Code

Maurice Quinlivan

471. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for asking persons completing an exceptional needs payment application to submit an engineer’s report at their own expense, considering those applying for the payment do so as they cannot afford the item required, such as a fridge; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15288/23]

Redundancy Payments

Maurice Quinlivan

472. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the case of a person (details supplied) who, following ten years of uninterrupted service, was made redundant and has been deemed ineligible for statutory redundancy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15299/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Michael Healy-Rae

473. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied); if the case will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15309/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Brendan Griffin

474. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on a working family payment application by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15311/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Brendan Griffin

475. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Kerry would be eligible for a casual jobseeker’s top-up; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15322/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Seán Haughey

476. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Social Protection if a claimant (details supplied) can have their disability benefit restored given that their partner has returned to work and is no longer receiving their own disability benefit payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15334/23]

Social Welfare Appeals

Bernard Durkan

477. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection to what extent oral hearings in respect of appeals against disallowance for various payments are up to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15441/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Bernard Durkan

478. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for domiciliary care allowance received by her Department in the past twelve months; the number of applications granted and refused in the same period; the number of decisions appealed and subsequently overturned on appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15442/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Bernard Durkan

479. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for the invalidity pension received by her Department in the past twelve months; the number of applications granted and refused in the same period; the number of decisions appealed and subsequently overturned on appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15443/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Bernard Durkan

480. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for disability allowance received by her Department in the past twelve months; the number of applications granted and refused in the same period; the number of decisions appealed and subsequently overturned on appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15444/23]

State Pensions

Bernard Durkan

481. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the possible cost of introducing prorate pensions for those who have made pension contributions but an insufficient amount to qualify for a pension in a single year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15445/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Bernard Durkan

482. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for the State pension (contributory) received by her Department in the past twelve months; the number of applications granted and refused in the same period; the number of decisions appealed and subsequently overturned on appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15446/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Bernard Durkan

483. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for the State pension (non-contributory) received by her Department in the past twelve months; the number of applications granted and refused in the same period; the number of decisions appealed and subsequently overturned on appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15447/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Bernard Durkan

484. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of persons currently in receipt of disability allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15448/23]

Departmental Data

Bernard Durkan

485. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in the country currently registered as being aged over 100 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15449/23]

Social Welfare Code

Bernard Durkan

486. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline the extent, if any, to which she intends to expand or extend various social welfare payments given the increased cost of living; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15450/23]

Social Welfare Code

Bernard Durkan

487. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider easing the requirements for qualification for exceptional needs payments, with particular reference to ongoing, unforeseen challenges affecting individuals and families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15451/23]

Social Welfare Code

Bernard Durkan

488. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider easing the qualification requirements in respect of domiciliary care allowance, given the number of cases referred to appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15452/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Claire Kerrane

489. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the dates in April that the announced spring bonus payments are due to be paid to eligible social welfare recipients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15463/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Sorca Clarke

286. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the way a person (details supplied) can adequately complete a disability allowance application. [14445/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Seán Sherlock

287. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the qualifying period for lump sums (details supplied). [14453/23]

Social Welfare Code

Richard Bruton

288. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the way in which savings and assets are treated in means-test assessments, since the very stringent valuation rules risk becoming a deterrent to saving for a fruitful retirement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14461/23]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Mairéad Farrell

289. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are guidelines set out for granting illness benefit to workers whose full-time work schedule is based on a four-day week, for example, if the worker is sick four days of the week, if they should get the full week’s benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14466/23]

School Meals Programme

Richard O'Donoghue

290. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if discussions are expected to provide school lunches to all schoolchildren in all schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14501/23]

Social Media

Catherine Murphy

291. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the protocols and-or guidelines she has issued in respect of the use of personal social media accounts by officials in her Department; the number of sanctions imposed by her Department on its own officials in the past ten years to date in respect of social media output by its officials, verbal, written or otherwise; if social media platforms are restricted on her Department’s network; if an application (details supplied) is available to use and-or download onto Department-issued mobile phones; and if not, if it is barred from use. [14520/23]

Public Services Card

Cormac Devlin

292. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will detail in tabular form the number of public service card applications processed per month, by INTREO office, in Dublin during the period January 2022 to February 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14535/23]

Public Services Card

Cormac Devlin

293. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is aware of issues in relation to the provision of a service (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14536/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Fergus O'Dowd

294. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will seek assistance for a person (details supplied) in relation to their wait for a disability allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14555/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Bernard Durkan

295. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if domiciliary care allowance granted to a person (details supplied) is payable from the date of application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14613/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Carol Nolan

184. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of jobseeker's benefit or jobseeker's allowance who have been in receipt of either allowance continuously since 2019; the breakdown of these recipients, by age and county of residence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14053/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Patrick Costello

185. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the fuel allowance; the number of applications for the fuel allowance; the number of refusals for the fuel allowance over the past three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14063/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Thomas Gould

186. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department sent letters to recipients informing them of the option to receive their payment via bank transfer. [14103/23]

Departmental Correspondence

Pádraig O'Sullivan

187. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on an application (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14111/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Brendan Griffin

188. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if an appeal has been completed for a carer's support grant application (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14112/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Bernard Durkan

189. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the most recent application for the disability allowance will be reviewed in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14148/23]

Human Trafficking

Patrick Costello

190. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of social welfare inspectors who have been provided with training in relation to human trafficking. [14362/23]

Departmental Staff

Gerald Nash

191. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection the average numbers of days training per grade in her Department in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022; how the figures compare internationally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14864/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Bernard Durkan

792. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the case of a person (details supplied) will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12254/23]

Departmental Funding

Peadar Tóibín

793. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of times funding was moved across budget lines within his Department in a process known as virement; the name and purpose of the fund the money was taken from; the name and purpose of the fund the money was transferred to; the dates upon which he approved of such transfers, since he took office; if the Department of Public Expenditure was consulted prior to the transfer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12276/23]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Darren O'Rourke

794. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a maintenance payment paid to an ex-spouse is not taken into account when calculating means to qualify for the fuel allowance payment. [12318/23]

State Pensions

Jim O'Callaghan

795. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the averaging system used for the calculation of State pensions is to be retained; if not, the proposals the Government has for its replacement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12337/23]

State Pensions

Marian Harkin

796. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of D class pensioners in the State over 70 years of age. [12348/23]

Social Welfare Code

Mark Ward

797. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person can apply to become a carer for two persons, for example, a husband and wife; the process, the criteria and the number of hours per week for two persons combined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12357/23]