Naoise Ó Muirí
Question:61. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress being made in reaching our 2030 goals in tackling child poverty. [2628/26]
View answerChild Poverty
Questions (61)
Written answers
Reducing child poverty is a key priority for this Government, as set out in the Programme for Government.
In September 2025, the Government agreed a new Child Poverty Target: to reduce the consistent child poverty rate to 3% or less by the end of 2030.
While no level of child poverty is acceptable, this is an ambitious goal, representing a reduction of 5.5 percentage points - nearly 60% - from the current rate of 8.5%. %.
Tackling child poverty requires sustained and cross-Government investment and commitment over many years. The Target will guide this work and ensure resources are targeted at families with children who are most in need.
In addition, the Child Poverty and Well-being Programme Office in the Department of the Taoiseach is collating a Dashboard of Indicators, which will complement this target and allow for a more holistic measurement of child poverty.
Recent CSO data show a welcome reduction in child enforced deprivation rates in 2025, reflecting the impact of Government measures to date.
Budget 2026 social welfare package reflects this determination, with a specific allocation of €320 million to tackle child poverty. Targeted measures include the largest increases in Child Support Payments in the State’s history; higher income thresholds for the Working Family Payment; and expanded eligibility for the Fuel Allowance and the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.
These measures build on other important initiatives already underway that also work to reduce child poverty, such as free school meals, free schoolbooks, free GP visit cards, and the National Childcare Scheme, and the Early Childhood Care and Education scheme which all will contribute towards achieving the new child poverty target.
The successor to the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025, the national poverty strategy, to be published in the first half of 2026, will include a dedicated focus on child poverty and cross-Government actions to support the delivery of our ambitious target by 2030.
Social Welfare Eligibility
Questions (62)
Pa Daly
Question:62. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has any plans to review the one-payment per household rule for fuel allowance, whereby children on low incomes are forced to live at home due to the housing crisis and are refused support based on parental incomes, despite qualifying for the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2680/26]
View answerWritten answers
There is no automatic entitlement to the Fuel Allowance payment and entitlement to the payment is contingent on a household satisfying all relevant qualifying criteria.
The qualifying criteria for the Fuel Allowance payment, ensures that the payment is targeted at those who are more vulnerable to fuel poverty, including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods and who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own.
A change in the qualifying criteria such as assessing Fuel Allowance on an individual rather than a household basis and allowing the payment of more than one Fuel Allowance in a household would have to be considered in the context of scheme policy and budgetary negotiations. However, any decision to do this would change the targeted nature of the Fuel Allowance payment.
I understand however that there will always be exceptional cases and it is for this reason that my department provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme. Any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (63)
Ruairí Ó Murchú
Question:63. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection the possible payment schemes available to older children or young adults that will enable them to stay in full time secondary education, who were never in care, but due to deaths or other circumstances do not have the financial support of parents, wider family or others; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2858/26]
View answerWritten answers
A key role for my department is to provide income support to families with children in the State. Where a child whose parents are unable to provide for them, through death or other circumstances, the person looking after the child may apply for a guardian's payment.
Guardian’s payment (contributory) is a social insurance payment and Guardian’s payment (non-contributory) is social assistance (means tested) payment made to a person caring for a child who satisfies the definition of an “orphan” under social welfare legislation. A child is considered an orphan if they are under 18 (or 22 if in full time education) and both parents are deceased; or one parent is either dead or unknown or has abandoned and failed to provide for the child and the other parent is unknown or has abandoned and failed to provide for the child.
Subject to conditions, Guardian’s Payment may be paid directly to a child aged between 18 and 22, where that child is not normally residing with a guardian and is attending a course of full-time education.
In addition the Back to Education Allowance provides income support for jobseekers and others in receipt of qualifying payments who take full-time courses of education at Further or Higher level. The focus of the scheme is to assist people improve their qualifications and as a result improve their access to sustainable employment.
If a person’s income is insufficient to meet their needs, they can apply for assistance under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme. This can consist of a basic weekly payment, a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses, as well as single Additional Needs Payments. This can be done through a person’s local Community Welfare Service. There is also a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818 607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office.
Túsla, the Child and Family Agency, is the dedicated State agency responsible for improving wellbeing and outcomes for children, including offering care and protection for children in circumstances where their parents have not been able to, or are unlikely to, provide the care that a child needs. Tusla also has responsibility for ensuring that every child in the State attends school or otherwise receives an education, and for providing educational welfare services to support and monitor children’s attendance, participation and retention in education.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (64)
Naoise Ó Muirí
Question:64. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection the expanded services that will be provided by the An Post Network on behalf of his Department;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2791/26]
View answerWritten answers
In December 2025, An Post was awarded the contract for the Department of Social Protection’s Cash Payment Services contract. This contract provides for over-the-counter personal cash payments to welfare recipients on behalf of the Minister for Social Protection. About 30% of payments made to the Department’s customers are made by cash collection.
In the contract, An Post commit to providing an over-the-counter personal cash payment service to customers on behalf of the Department of Social Protection. The key elements of the Cash Payment Service to customers of the Department of Social Protection include:
• A facility in an outlet whereby payments can be paid directly to Customers in person (“Customer Facing Service”) together with other elements of the services at an outlet physically located so as to meet the Minister’s requirements. Outlets must be available within three (3) kilometres of 95% of the population in an urban area and within fifteen (15) kilometres of 95% of the population in a rural area.
• Robust treasury management systems.
• Excellent accounting and reconciliations arrangements.
• Systems to handle payment exception and associated liability.
• Customer identity management and suspected fraud prevention & detection services.
• Emergency same day services.
• A voluntary micro-budgeting service.
• Systems to enable nominated agents to collect on behalf of a Customer.
An Post provide the services during normal hours of business which is five and a half (5.5) days per week during normal business hours.
An Post ensure the necessary security and logistics arrangements are in place so that the full cash requirement for all customers at each payment Outlet can be met and customers receive their payment promptly and in full. This includes during peak business periods such as Christmas and other holidays when the Department may make advance payments to customers.
Under the contract An Post also delivers the voluntary micro-budgeting facility, also known as the Household Budgeting Facility as part of their services on behalf of the Department:
• An Post facilitate the deduction and remittance of voluntary micro-budgeting payments which assist Customers to manage their weekly income, for example to utility companies, local authorities / housing bodies and credit unions.
• An Post implement any statutory deductions from customer payments before a cash payment is made. For example, in respect of rents payable for housing support from specified housing bodies.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (65)
Brendan Smith
Question:65. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of newborn baby grants which have been paid in Cavan and Monaghan in the first year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2825/26]
View answerWritten answers
Child Benefit becomes payable in respect of newborn babies in the month after their birth, subject to the qualifying conditions.
As part of Budget 2025, a new-born baby grant of €280 was introduced. This is paid to families of babies born, or children with a date of placement, on or after 1 December 2024 in addition to their regular first month’s Child Benefit payment of €140.
Since implementation to 06/01/2026, the grant has been paid to 50,102 customers in respect of 50,951 children.
The number of new-born baby grant payments to parents in Cavan has been 833 to date, with 643 payments paid to parents in Monaghan.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (66)
Liam Quaide
Question:66. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection the reasons for not introducing an emergency winter payment for disabled people of €400, as sought by the Disability Federation of Ireland, the Irish Wheelchair Association and Access for All. [2581/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Government recognises the significant additional costs that disabled people can face in their daily lives and is committed improving outcomes for disabled people by introducing permanent measures.
That is why the Programme for Government includes a range of commitments to support disabled people which will be advanced over the lifetime of the Government, having regard to the overall policy and budgetary context. We are at the start of a five-year programme for Government and not everything can be done in year one.
In advance of the Budget, Government was very clear that there would be no once-off measures in Budget 2026.
In Budget 2026, I provided for a €1.15 billion package of new social protection measures. This contained significant targeted measures to support disabled people, including:
• A €10 increase in the weekly rates of payment, bringing the personal rates of payment to €254 per week from this month.
• A Christmas bonus double payment to all persons getting a long-term disability payment, paid in December 2025.
• The highest ever increases in the Child Support Payment – an increase of €16 to €78 for children aged 12 or over, and of €8 to €58 for children under 12.
• A €5 increase in the Fuel Allowance, bring it to €38 per week from this month.
• People moving from Disability Allowance or Blind Pension to take up work will be able to retain their Fuel Allowance payment for five years.
• People getting Disability Allowance or Blind Pension who have children will be eligible for Back to Work Family Dividend when taking up employment and moving off those payments.
• Expansion of the Wage Subsidy Scheme to people who acquire a disability while in employment and to those who transfer from Invalidity Pension to Partial Capacity Benefit, and increasing the rates paid from April.
The Department of Social Protection package also contained measures aimed at supporting carers, and recipients of Domiciliary Care Allowance.
• Increase the Earnings Disregard for Carer’s Allowance by €375 to €1,000 for a single person and by €750 to €2,000 for a couple from July 2026.
• The income limit for Carer’s Benefit will increase by €375 to €1,000 per week from July 2026.
• €20 increase in the monthly Domiciliary Care Allowance payment bringing the payment to €380 per month from this month.
The Government also allocated €3.8 billion to the Department of Children, Disability and Equality for disability services in 2026, including funding for Community Based Specialist Disability Services to ensure people with disabilities receive the right support, at the right time, in the right place. This represents a 20% increase year on year and represents an overall increase since 2020 of €1.8 billion.
These measures clearly demonstrate the Governments commitment to support disabled people by introducing permanent changes rather than relying on once-off measures.
The Programme for Government commits to introducing a permanent Annual Cost of Disability Support Payment with a view to incrementally increasing this payment. In addition, under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030 my Department will lead a Strategic Focus Network on the Cost of Disability.
The work of this network, which will include disabled people and their advocates, will inform the approach to be taken in delivering on the Programme for Government commitment. I have asked my officials to expedite this work with a view to bringing a proposal to Government in the first half of next year. Officials have held meetings with a number of organisations to discuss the possible structure and content of the Strategic Focus Network on the Cost of Disability.
The Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents. Under the scheme, my department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or other personal and household resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.
Payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme, taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case, including the need presented and available resources, in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance. The payment is available to anyone who needs it and qualifies, whether the person is currently receiving a social welfare payment or working on a low income.
Furthermore, under the scheme, a Heating Supplement may be paid to assist people that have exceptional heating costs due to ill health, infirmity or a medical condition and are unable to meet those costs out of household income. Heating Supplement is not restricted to the fuel season and can be paid throughout the full year.
Any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment or a Heating Supplement is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office. In addition, applications for Additional Needs Payments can be made online via www.mywelfare.ie.
I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (67)
Conor D McGuinness
Question:67. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to increase disability supports (details supplied). [2884/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Government recognises the significant additional costs that disabled people can face in their daily lives and is committed improving outcomes for disabled people by introducing permanent measures.
That is why the Programme for Government includes a range of commitments to support disabled people. Our Programme for Government commitments will be advanced over the lifetime of the Government, having regard to the overall policy and budgetary context.
The Programme for Government commits to introducing a permanent Annual Cost of Disability Support Payment with a view to incrementally increasing this payment. In addition, under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030 my Department will lead a Strategic Focus Network on the Cost of Disability.
The work of this network, which will include disabled people and their advocates, will inform the approach to be taken in delivering on the Programme for Government commitment. I have asked my officials to expedite this work with a view to bringing a proposal to Government in the first half of this year.
In advance of Budget 2026, Government were very clear that there would be no once-off measures. We are at the start of a five-year programme for Government and not everything can be done in year one.
In Budget 2026, I provided for a €1.15 billion package of new social protection measures. This contained significant targeted measures to support disabled people, including:
• A €10 increase in the weekly rates of payment, bringing the personal rates of payment to €254 per week from this month.
• A Christmas bonus double payment to all persons getting a long-term disability payment, paid in December 2025.
• The highest ever increases in the Child Support Payment – an increase of €16 to €78 for children aged 12 or over, and of €8 to €58 for children under 12 from this month.
• A €5 increase in the Fuel Allowance, bring it to €38 per week from this month.
• People moving from Disability Allowance or Blind Pension to take up work will be able to retain their Fuel Allowance payment for five years.
• People getting Disability Allowance or Blind Pension who have children will be eligible for Back to Work Family Dividend when taking up employment and moving off those payments.
• Expansion of the Wage Subsidy Scheme to people who acquire a disability while in employment and to those who transfer from Invalidity Pension to Partial Capacity Benefit, and increasing the rates paid from April.
The Department of Social Protection package also contained measures aimed at supporting carers, and recipients of Domiciliary Care Allowance.
• Increase the Earnings Disregard for Carer’s Allowance by €375 to €1,000 for a single person and by €750 to €2,000 for a couple from July 2026.
• The income limit for Carer’s Benefit will increase by €375 to €1,000 per week from July 2026.
• €20 increase in the monthly Domiciliary Care Allowance payment bringing the payment to €380 per month from this month.
The Government also allocated €3.8 billion to the Department of Children, Disability and Equality for disability services in 2026, including funding for Community Based Specialist Disability Services to ensure people with disabilities receive the right support, at the right time, in the right place. This represents a 20% increase year on year and represents an overall increase since 2020 of €1.8 billion.
These measures clearly demonstrate the Government’s commitment to support disabled people by introducing permanent changes rather than relying on once-off measures.
The Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents. Under the scheme, my department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or other personal and household resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers and are available to anyone who needs then and qualifies, whether the person is currently receiving a social welfare payment or working on a low income.
Any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment or a Heating Supplement is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office. In addition, applications for Additional Needs Payments can be made online via www.mywelfare.ie.
I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
Question No. 68 answered with Question No. 32.
Question No. 69 answered with Question No. 32.
Question No. 70 answered with Question No. 49.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (71)
Noel McCarthy
Question:71. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans to increase the qualifying income limits and funding amounts for the humanitarian assistance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2826/26]
View answerWritten answers
The purpose of the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme is to prevent hardship by providing financial support to people whose homes are damaged from flooding and/or severe weather events and who are not able to meet costs for essential needs, household items and in some instances structural repairs.
The scheme is administered by my Department through the Community Welfare Service and in dealing with emergency events, the Community Welfare Service generally adopts a three-stage approach.
Stage 1 provides emergency support payments such as food, clothing and bedding in the immediate aftermath of the event.
Stage 2 involves the replacement of white goods, basic furniture items and other essential household items.
Stage 3 is to identify what longer term financial support is required, including plastering, dry-lining, relaying of floors, electrical re-wiring and painting.
Emergency support payments, under Stage 1 of the scheme are not income tested and are based on the immediate need of the individuals impacted.
Income limit levels for Stages 2 and 3 of the scheme were increased in October 2023 from:
• €30,000 to €50,000 for a single person;
• €50,000 to €90,000 for a couple; and
• €10,000 to €15,000 per dependent child.
Reduced or tapered levels of support may be provided in cases where a household‘s income is above these limit levels.
The income test for the scheme is more generous than that applied under means tested social welfare payments in general. The basic principle of the income test is that individuals and families with average levels of income will qualify for assistance.
I consider the current income limit levels and the assessment process used in determining these claims for assistance to be a fair and equitable approach as it ensures that support is provided to people with the greatest financial need.
To the end of November 2025 some €26.8 million had been spent under the scheme since 2009. As the scheme is demand-led, funding is made available to respond to the humanitarian needs arising.
I wish to assure the Deputy the scheme is kept under review to ensure that it continues to support those most in need of assistance.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Eligibility
Questions (72)
Matt Carthy
Question:72. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection when the review of means testing for qualifying allowances in the social protection system will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1243/26]
View answerWritten answers
Means tests are a central part of any social welfare system in ensuring that limited resources are targeted at those who are most in need. Ireland's system of social transfers consistently ranks among the top performers in the European Union for poverty reduction.
A key factor in this achievement is Ireland's use of means testing in targeting resources for the most vulnerable in our society. In addition, research indicates that targeting of supports to more vulnerable cohorts, through means testing, continues to be important even as societal income overall increases.
Means tests and income thresholds are kept under regular review and a number of significant changes have been made in recent years. A number of changes to means testing which provide for higher income disregards have been introduced in recent Budgets. These disregards ensure that, where people are in receipt of a social assistance payment and are working, a certain level of income from that work is not assessed in the means test.
Currently, my Department is conducting a review of means testing within the social protection system. The aim is to examine various means-tested schemes and identify any issues related to their respective means tests. With over 140 schemes and services, many of which are means-tested, this is a complex and detailed task.
It is my intention that the review's findings will guide decisions regarding potential changes to means testing in future Budgets.
The review is nearing completion and I expect that it will be submitted to me shortly. Due to the complexity of the review, I will carefully and thoroughly evaluate it to determine the best way to utilise its findings and identify those that warrant further consideration. However, any prospective changes to means testing arrangements will need to be evaluated and considered within the broader context of overall policy and budgetary considerations.
Social Welfare Appeals
Questions (73)
Natasha Newsome Drennan
Question:73. Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan asked the Minister for Social Protection the average time for a section 318 review to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1781/26]
View answerWritten answers
Under Section 318 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, the Chief Appeals Officer may, at any time, revise any decision of an appeals officer, where it appears that the decision was incorrect by reason of some mistake having been made in relation to the law or the facts. The number of section 318 reviews requested each year is relatively low and tends to track overall appeal volumes. For example 168 reviews under Section 318 were registered in 2025 representing about 0.3% of 52,000 appeals finalised.
A request for a Section 318 review can be made in writing by the appellant after they receive their initial appeal decision or may also be requested by the relevant scheme area of the Department. There is no fixed statutory time limit for completing a Section 318 review. Reviews are carried out on a case-by-case basis and the length of time can depend on the complexity of the case and the contentions raised. The issues that may be raised in such cases can be varied in nature and can also be legally and/or factually complex. In addition Section 318 reviews can be sought in conjunction with wider legal proceedings and cannot usually progress while these proceedings are ongoing. As a consequence there is no standard time to analyse and assess section 318 cases. Given these factors and also the relatively low volume of Section 318 cases average processing times are not a reliable indicator of productivity or efficiency.
Nevertheless by way of information, the average elapsed time from receipt to completion for Section 318 reviews to be completed in 2025 was 40 weeks. At present 72% of reviews awaiting decision have been received within the last 6 months.
Until recently Section 318 cases could only be considered from commencement to completion by the Chief Appeals Officer. Given the other responsibilities of the Chef Appeals Officer, including organisation and management of the appeals service itself, this created a single pinch point in the process for section 318 cases. To address this, new regulations (S.I. No. 744 of 2024) came into effect from Monday, 28 April 2025 to, among other things, provide for other officers to undertake the preparatory analysis of cases up to and including a recommendation in respect of section 318 cases. While all cases must continue to be determined by the Chief Appeals Officer this change is intended to allow faster turnaround, particularly of less complex cases.
The Chief Appeals Officer continues to monitor processing times and significant efforts are being made to reduce the time taken to process all appeals as well as reviews under Section 318.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Employment Schemes
Questions (74)
Keira Keogh
Question:74. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people in Mayo currently engaged with Intreo employment services; the steps his Department is taking to introduce new initiatives to support jobseekers in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2675/26]
View answerWritten answers
My Department recognises the crucial role employment holds in our economy and society, and its importance to individual well-being, especially in rural areas.
Intreo provides a structured mandatory employment support service to all jobseekers nationwide who are in receipt of a jobseekers payment with the exception of those aged 62 and over. Intreo and its Intreo Partners - National Employment Service and Local Area Employment Service offer an individualised employment service. Employment Services Officers engage with jobseekers on a one-to-one basis to develop a Personal Progression Plan, which will identify steps the jobseeker will take to support them to progress to sustainable employment. Some 3,000 jobseekers are currently engaging with Employment Services Officers at Intreo Offices and Intreo Partner services located in Co Mayo.
There are a wide range of employment supports on offer in terms of further education, training, upskilling, work placements as well as programmes like the Work Placement Experience Programme (WPEP), Community Employment (CE), Tús and the Rural Social Scheme (RSS) to support people to obtain or retain employment. Currently over 1,300 people are participating in these schemes in Mayo.
Furthermore, a key element of the work of Intreo is to organise events to bring employers and jobseekers together, with over 50 such events were organised in Co Mayo throughout 2025.
Finally, the Pathways to Work Strategy sets out the Department of Social Protections vision for a labour market that is inclusive and sustainable where everyone who can work (of working age) is supported to do so and where employers are also supported to access the skilled workers they need to grow, in an evolving economy.
Building on the success of the previous strategy, the next strategy will seek to support quality employment and inclusion for all. A distinct focus on people who are furthest from the labour market, experiencing multiple barriers to participation will be at the forefront of this strategy and will seek to ensure that all people can benefit from Irelands well performing economy, enable growth in communities across the country in both urban and rural locations.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
Dormant Accounts Fund
Questions (75)
Mark Wall
Question:75. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that the funding allocation to family carers and young carers has not increased in the 2026 Dormant Accounts Fund Action Plan compared to the previous year; if he will provide additional funding to return the family carer measure to €2.5 million as in the 2024 Action Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68383/25]
View answerWritten answers
My department has provided for a €1 million allocation under the Dormant Accounts Action Plan 2026 in order to meets its funding commitments under the current Family Carer Measure - Supporting Carers to remain in employment or education or to provide help to get back into work, education or training.
Following a Call for Applications where there was potentially €2.5 million available, and a subsequent appraisal process, which took place in late 2024, a total of eight organisations, three national and five local, were successful in their bid for funding.
The measure is managed by Pobal on behalf of the Department and Pobal issued grant agreements to the successful organisations in December 2024. The projects commenced their activities on 1 January 2025 and the measure is due to conclude at the end of December 2026. Funding commitments to the projects amount to over €1.2 million over the period.
The Deputy should be aware that my department has not reduced funding under Dormant Accounts for family carers. Ultimately the final amount of funding that is allocated to a measure is determined by the number of organisations that apply for funding, the scale of their projects, and subsequently the number of these organisations that are successful in their bids.
As such, the allocation of €1 million provided to my Department in 2026 is sufficient to complete the current measure in line with our commitments and there is no requirement for additional funding to be sought.
The Dormant Accounts initiatives run by my department have proved very successful. We have had very positive feedback from the carer organisations that have carried out activities under the various measures we have run over the last number of years. In this regard I have asked my officials to work with Pobal to develop a successor measure. It is my intention to have the successor measure in place at the from the beginning of next year.
Funds required for projects under a new measure in 2027 will be provided for in the Dormant Accounts Action Plan 2027 and within my own department’s revised estimates expenditure profile for 2027, in line with Government accounting procedures and legislation set out under the Dormant Accounts Act.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Question No. 76 answered with Question No. 49.
School Meals Programme
Questions (77)
Louis O'Hara
Question:77. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has concerns about the quality of meals being provided under the hot school meals scheme; if he has concerns about the amount of food provided under the scheme being binned; if he has engaged with meal providers regarding this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2323/26]
View answerWritten answers
The objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
The Nutritional Standards for School Meals have been in place since its inception and were developed by a technical Nutrition Subgroups comprised of:
• Dieticians from the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute of Ireland,
• The HSE,
• Safefood, and
• The Food Safety Authority of Ireland.
These standards are available to all schools, organisations and suppliers and are publicly available on gov.ie
I have directed that a review of the scheme’s nutritional standards be undertaken. In the meantime food that is high in saturated fat, sugar and salt, was removed from the school menu from September 2025. Up to now this food had been permitted, as an option, once a week at most and only when selected by the child's parents.
Under the School Meals Programme, the primary relationship is between the school and supplier. My department provides the funding for the meals directly to the school and it is the responsibility of each school board to administer the Programme in their school including handling the procurement process.
The Schools Procurement Unit under the Department of Education and Youth, provides guidance to schools for all procurements including the School Meals Programme.
In terms of packaging and waste, under tender documentation, and as stipulated by the Schools Procurement’s Unit, the school meal supplier is responsible for operating policies which progressively address environmental considerations such as waste and packaging. Depending on the school size and school meal requirements, the school will decide on the method and logistics that best meets their needs in line with environmental standards.
In addition, under tender documentation requirements, the school is committed to the principles of environmental management in its activities, and it encourages the implementation of sustainability principles in its procurement practices. The supplier should make all reasonable efforts to minimise adverse environmental impact in the methods of services delivery and in materials used. My department does not collect collect data on food waste as the primary relationship is between the school and supplier.
My officials have met and continue to engage with suppliers. My Departments website is frequently updated to assist them with their requirements for the programme.
Under the Programme for Government, I will continue to expand and improve the Free Hot School Meals programme and ensure that suppliers adhere to robust guidelines on the nutritional value of meals, the dietary requirements of students, the reduction of food waste and the use of recyclable packaging.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (78)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:78. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to increase the living alone allowance. [2901/26]
View answerWritten answers
Primary weekly social welfare payments are intended to enable recipients to meet their basic day-to-day income needs. Payments available to those over 66 include the State Pension (Contributory), State Pension (Non-Contributory) and the Bereaved Partners' Contributory Pension.
The rate of primary and secondary payments to pensioners, and their adequacy, are considered in the context of the annual budgetary process. In doing so, the Government considers evidence from a wide range of sources, including agencies such as the CSO, and also research submitted by advocacy groups such as the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice, which uses a measure they call the “Minimum Essential Standard of Living (MESL)”.
The data shows that the cost of living for a single person is slightly more than the individualized cost of two people living together. For this reason, the Living Alone Increase is available to those in receipt of qualifying payments. The Living Alone Increase is currently paid at €22 per week.
There are a number of other secondary benefits that may be available to those in receipt of a State Pension payment and the Living Alone Increase. These include:
• Household Benefits Package which includes an Electricity or Natural Gas allowance of €35 per month. It also includes free Television licence.
• Fuel Allowance, which has increased by €5 per week from January 2026 to €38 per week during the Fuel season.
• Also, a person in receipt of a State Pension and who qualifies for both the Living Alone Allowance and the Fuel Allowance will automatically qualify for the Telephone Support Allowance, which is €2.50 per week.
Any future changes to rate of payment for the Living Alone Increase would have to be considered in the overall policy and budgetary context.
Furthermore, my Department operates Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people of any age, who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Question No. 79 answered with Question No. 49.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (80)
Keira Keogh
Question:80. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider expanding the domiciliary care allowance criteria to better support families caring for children with complex needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2676/26]
View answerWritten answers
Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly payment to a parent or guardian for a child aged up to 16 who has a severe disability. It is not means tested or based on social insurance contributions. The child must require care and attention substantially over and above that required by other children of the same age. Eligibility is not based on the disability or diagnosis, but rather on the impact of the disability in terms of the level of care and attention required by the child.
There are currently 62,488 families receiving Domiciliary Care Allowance in respect of 71,033 children, with an estimated expenditure of almost €359 million in 2026. As part of Budget 2026, the monthly rate increased by €20 to €380, representing a total increase of €70.50 per month since January 2023.
The Government has introduced a number of significant improvements to better support families caring for children with complex needs:
• As part of Budget 2022, the period during which Domiciliary Care Allowance can be paid for children in hospital was extended from 3 months to 6 months.
• As of May 2024, for babies who remain in an acute hospital after birth the period was extended from 6 months to 18 months.
These measures ensure that parents continue to receive support during what is often an extremely difficult and stressful time.
During both these extended periods of eligibility and where other conditions are met, a carer may also qualify for Carer's Allowance or Carer's Benefit. In addition, the non means tested Carer's Support Grant is also available to all full-time carers, whether or not they are in receipt of another payment from my Department. As part of Budget 2025, the Grant was increased by €150 bringing this annual payment to €2,000, the highest rate since its introduction.
I am very conscious of the challenges facing our families caring for children with complex needs and I will continue to keep the range of supports provided by my department under review to ensure that the overall objectives of the carer income supports provided are met.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.