Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Widow's Pension

Brendan Griffin

64. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision on a widower's pension application (details supplied) will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21938/24]

School Meals Programme

Ged Nash

65. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection if meal providers to schools are required to provide for the various dietary requirements of students, for example, coeliac; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21943/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Brendan Griffin

66. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will remove the means test for the carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21960/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Darren O'Rourke

67. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is further leave to appeal after a section 317 appeal within her Department or elsewhere; if appellants are entitled to an oral hearing to challenge a section 317 appeal refusal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21993/24]

School Meals Programme

Catherine Murphy

68. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the provisions she has put in place to reduce food waste in the context of the school hot meals initiative; if she engaged with specialists in the area of nutritional value ahead of rolling out the initiative; and her views on whether the initiative is targeted appropriately. [22002/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Colm Burke

69. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the up-to-date status of a carers allowance application review (details supplied), given that further documentation was provided some time ago; when a decision will be reached; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22026/24]

Widow's Pension

Willie O'Dea

70. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the current stage of legislation that will allow for the enactment of the recent Supreme Court decision to allow a cohabitant to claim a widow's pension in certain circumstances; when she expects it to be in operation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22131/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Brendan Griffin

396. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person in County Kerry (details supplied) who has been deemed eligible for disability allowance will be transferred to an invalidity pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21200/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Michael Fitzmaurice

397. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Social Protection to clarify if a person (details supplied) over 65 and on over-65 jobseeker’s benefit, not having to actively seek employment and at home on a full-time basis, would be entitled to carer’s support grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21225/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Michael Creed

398. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason an appeal of carer’s allowance application is taking so long. [21237/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

John McGuinness

399. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for invalidity pension, which is under appeal, will be approved for a person (details supplied). [21274/24]

Departmental Data

Leo Varadkar

400. Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Social Protection the annual cost of maternity benefit, paternity benefit and parents leave benefit; the initial cost estimate provided to the Minister and to the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform in the year the benefit was legislated for; his views on the discrepancy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21279/24]

Equality Issues

Leo Varadkar

401. Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on whether people medically determined to be intersex should be required to register as male or female; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21284/24]

Legislative Measures

Aindrias Moynihan

402. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection when legislation will be updated to reflect changes to qualifying measures for widow's, widower's and surviving partner's contributory pension on the Supreme Court ruling in relation to the entitlement of an unmarried cohabitant to widow's, widower's and surviving partner's contributory pension; how many applications have been received that are currently on hold due to the necessary legislation changes that need to be made; the timeline for application for a person (details supplied) to progress for decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21332/24]

Disability Services

Louise O'Reilly

403. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection what supports are in place under his/her Department to assist a person with a disability to get back to into work, including supports for entrepreneurs; and the organisations that might assist; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21350/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Cormac Devlin

404. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is aware of the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21358/24]

Departmental Data

Violet-Anne Wynne

405. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of disability allowance applications that were received by her Department in 2023; the number that were from applicants in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21369/24]

Social Welfare Schemes

Violet-Anne Wynne

406. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection how many disability allowance applications were disallowed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21370/24]

Social Welfare Schemes

Violet-Anne Wynne

407. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection how many carer’s allowance applications were received by her Department in 2023; how many applicants were in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21371/24]

Social Welfare Schemes

Violet-Anne Wynne

408. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection how many carer’s allowance applications were disallowed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21372/24]

Departmental Data

Violet-Anne Wynne

409. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection how many carer’s benefit cases will be administered in 2024, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21373/24]

Departmental Data

Violet-Anne Wynne

410. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection how many carer’s benefit cases will be administered in 2023, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21374/24]

Departmental Staff

Sorca Clarke

411. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of WTE staff by grade working in the local debt recovery unit of her Department as of 7 May 2024. [21413/24]

Departmental Data

Pádraig O'Sullivan

412. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 976 of 17 January 2024, if it has an independent company with a service level agreement with the funder, the Citizens Information Board; if the Citizens Information Service has control to set and review their employees’ salary scales; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21473/24]

Pension Provisions

Cian O'Callaghan

413. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline, in relation to the pension auto-enrolment scheme, how maternity leave and people with caring responsibilities where they may be in part-time employment due to these responsibilities will be treated under the scheme; if there is provision to account for these people (the majority of whom are women) who will not reap the benefit of having a full-time employer under the scheme; if measures will be introduced to prevent people from being at a disadvantage for not being part of the AE scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21478/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Brendan Griffin

414. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an invalidity pension appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21544/24]

School Meals Programme

James O'Connor

415. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding inclusion of school (details supplied) in the hot school meals programme for the coming school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21618/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Duncan Smith

416. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm having received the required information as sought from a person (details supplied) in order to have their eligibility for disability allowance fully reviewed and awarded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21658/24]

Departmental Data

Peadar Tóibín

417. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection for a breakdown, by county, of the number of times persons in receipt of carer's allowance had their allowance stopped in each of the past ten years, and to date in 2024. [21678/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Peadar Tóibín

418. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection for a breakdown, by county, of the number of times persons who were initially refused disability allowance were successful on appealing the decision in each of the past ten years, and to date in 2024. [21679/24]

Employment Rights

Ged Nash

419. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection if any State, semi-State or commercial semi-State agency under the aegis of their Department is aware of any cases of bogus self-employment in any bodies under their remit from 2020 to 1 May 2024; if they will outline if there are currently any cases from such agencies or bodies currently before the SCOPE section of the Department of Social Protection for investigation or determination; if there are any SCOPE findings and recommendations relating to any agencies or bodies under their remit where SCOPE has found in favour of the worker, and where they recommended the reclassification of the workers’ employment status to that of direct employee between 2020 and 1 May 2024; if they will provide information on the numbers involved and the names of the individual agencies and bodies in all cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21699/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Bernard Durkan

420. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an appeal for invalidity pension in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21713/24]

Social Welfare Appeals

Bernard Durkan

421. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a review can be undertaken into the recent decision to offer a reduced rate of disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21731/24]

Gender Recognition

Róisín Shortall

422. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason Irish nationals who are not ordinarily resident in the State and who do not hold any of the documents specified in section 9(1)(a) of the Gender Recognition Act 2015 are precluded from applying for a gender recognition certificate (details supplied); the rationale for their exclusion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21755/24]

Departmental Advertising

Carol Nolan

423. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total costs incurred by her Department from 2019 to date relating to the placing of advertisements in print media; the names of the print media publications involved, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21872/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Colm Burke

217. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if a living alone increase payment for a widower (details supplied) will be backdated to the date of death of their spouse; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20947/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Patricia Ryan

218. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Social Protection to investigate the reason a person (details supplied) has had their carer’s allowance cut. [21000/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Robert Troy

219. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will investigate the reason a couple, who are separated but forced to live together due to financial constraints, must be assessed jointly for a working family payment application. [21009/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Brendan Griffin

220. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on a working family payment application by person in County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21051/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Brendan Griffin

221. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on a one-parent family payment rate appeal by person in County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21052/24]

State Pensions

Willie O'Dea

222. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if an individual (details supplied) has an entitlement to apply for the State pension (contributory), in view of the fact that they have 244 reckonable contributions paid since 2014 and they also have mixed contributions for a number of other years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21057/24]

School Meals Programme

Cathal Crowe

223. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection if a school (details supplied) can reassess how funding allocated by her Department through the hot school meals programme can be spent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21064/24]

Widow's Pension

Mark Ward

224. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if, in the circumstance where someone is in receipt of the widow's pension, works part-time but their job closes during the summer months, there is any additional payment to their widow's pension that they are entitled to during this period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21071/24]

School Meals Programme

Michael Healy-Rae

225. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will comment on a matter with regard to the school meals programme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21090/24]

Personal Public Service Numbers

Bernard Durkan

226. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection to indicate when a PPS number will issue to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21094/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Michael Creed

227. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of an application for domiciliary care allowance by a person (details supplied). [21118/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Michael Creed

228. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection the current situation regarding a claim for carer’s allowance or carer’s benefit by a person (details supplied) in County Cork; the reason this application was refused in light of the compelling medical evidence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21141/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Neasa Hourigan

229. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection the awards made both with and without a tender process to management consultancy firms (details supplied) by her Department and bodies under the aegis of her Department for each of the years 2019 to 2024, in tabular form and classed by firm; the purpose and a brief description of the awards; the value of the awards and the total amounts paid; the timeline or timeframe of the contracts; and the desired or completed output. [21170/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Cian O'Callaghan

299. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a privately run service (details supplied) is obligated to recognise the State travel pass for older people; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20803/24]

Departmental Staff

Darren O'Rourke

300. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of WTE medical officers working in her Department in the years of 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [20157/24]