Darren O'Rourke
Question:714. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of calls received by the national community welfare scheme in each month of 2025, in tabular form. [7379/26]
View answerCommunity Welfare Services
Questions (714)
Written answers
The delivery of vital locally based Community Welfare Services (CWS) to meet the challenges and the needs of citizens across the country is a priority for me and for my department. The Community Welfare Service provides a flexible service to meet the different needs of people, who may find themselves in a financially difficult or vulnerable situation. It is a priority that this service is easily accessible and responsive to our client’s needs.
Any person who needs to access the CWS and who does not wish to attend their local Intreo Centre to meet with a Community Welfare Officer, can call the National CWS freephone number at 0818 60 70 80. Callers can receive general CWS information from a customer service agent or can request an appointment with a CWO or arrange to speak directly to a CWO. This service means people can have their needs met without the requirement to travel.
The table below shows the number of calls received by the National Community Welfare Service in each month of 2025.
|
2025 Month |
Total Calls |
|
January |
17,817 |
|
February |
24,240 |
|
March |
21,983 |
|
April |
19,536 |
|
May |
19,468 |
|
June |
17,385 |
|
July |
18,854 |
|
August |
17,130 |
|
September |
18,885 |
|
October |
17,602 |
|
November |
15,687 |
|
December |
14,320 |
|
Total |
222,907 |
I have asked my officials to host an information session on the Community Welfare Service for all Oireachtas members. Details of this will be communicated shortly, and I will ensure that the Deputy is made aware of it.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
Grant Payments
Questions (715)
Conor D McGuinness
Question:715. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports available to parents who do not qualify for the bereaved parent grant due to the fact their wife/husband/civil partner/cohabitant passed away before 21 July 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7460/26]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy is aware, the Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2025 was enacted on 21 July 2025.
The provisions of the Act were as a result of a Supreme Court judgment, on 22nd January 2024, on the entitlement of an unmarried cohabitant to a Widower's Contributory Pension. The Supreme Court judgment overruled a previous High Court decision and found in favour of the claimant and his children. In simple terms, the Court found that section 124 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended) was inconsistent with the Constitution insofar as it excluded the claimant from the category of persons entitled to a Widower's Contributory Pension benefit from it.
As a result of the Supreme Court decision the Department reviewed its schemes and decided that further schemes would be amended along the same lines as Widow, Widowers Widow’s, Widower’s and Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension to include qualified cohabitants, including the Bereaved Parent Grant.
The Bereaved Parent Grant is paid where there are dependent children at the date of death to meet the expenses in the immediate aftermath of the death. As this scheme was not at issue in the O’Meara case, its provisions had not been found to be inconsistent with the Constitution and therefore there was no basis to make the payment available to qualified cohabitants other than from enactment.
There was no impact on the entitlement to the Bereaved Parent Grant for bereaved spouses or civil partners who had an entitlement to the Grant on or before the enactment of the 2025 Act on 21 July 2025.
Where a parent/guardian may not be eligible for the Bereaved Parent Grant, they may be entitled to a range of other payments made by my Department to parents such as Child Benefit, Carer's Benefit or Carer's Allowance, and the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance. While each of these payments have their own qualifying criteria, the civil status of each applicant is not a factor. In addition, for those parents who are parenting alone, they may be eligible for the means tested One Parent Family payment or Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment, depending on the age of their youngest child.
Under the Supplementary Allowance scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income, which may include help with funeral and burial expenses. This is a more targeted and efficient manner of assisting people with bereavement expenses in addition to the range of supports already set out.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Eligibility
Questions (716)
Conor D McGuinness
Question:716. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to ensure that a person will receive a payment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7461/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pensions and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2025, which was enacted on 21st July 2025, extended the Bereaved Parent Grant scheme to qualified cohabitants who were bereaved on or after the enactment date, and who otherwise satisfy the criteria. A person cannot be considered a qualified cohabitant if the couple lived apart for a period of 2 years or more immediately preceding the death of the deceased.
As the deceased passed away before 21/07/2025, the person concerned is not entitled to the grant.
The person concerned has appealed the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office, who will advise them of the outcome of the appeal, in due course.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the deputy.
Disability Services
Questions (717)
Shane Moynihan
Question:717. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of meetings of the Disability Consultative Forum in 2025; the number that will take place in 2026; the dates on which they will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7480/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Disability Consultative Forum has operated since 1996. The purpose of the Forum is to:
• Allow sharing of information on key issues and experiences of disabled people from disability organisations.
• Enable the Department to communicate policy changes and information on operational matters to disability organisations.
• Facilitate discussion of the operation and administration of income and employment supports for disabled people delivered by the Department.
The meetings are quarterly and are comprised of disability organisations, service providers and Department officials. Thirteen organisations are represented on the Department's Disability Consultative Forum. Four meetings were held in 2025. They are hybrid meetings, taking place online and in Dublin.
The Cost of Disability Strategic Focus Network was the main Agenda item at the meeting of the Disability Consultative Forum, on December 2nd last. Officials from across government were also in attendance given that this is a whole of Government issue.
The next Disability Consultative Forum meeting is taking place on 25th February with a further three meetings due to take place in 2026. The dates for those meetings have not yet been set.
I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
Departmental Correspondence
Questions (718)
Michael Cahill
Question:718. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7632/26]
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.
My department provides the funding directly to the schools. All schools who wish to avail of funding are responsible for choosing their school meals supplier on the open market, in a fair and transparent manner in accordance with public procurement rules. These rules clearly define the successful tenders responsibilities and obligations. The primary relationship is between school and supplier.
There are some 300 suppliers in the School Meals Programme with the majority of these supplying one to three local schools. There are eleven meals on wheels organisations supplying forty schools and there are nine large school meal providers.
The rates of payment per meal, per child, per day is contained in the attached table. It is important to note these rates are flat rates, regardless of mainstream or special education status.
Table 1: Max rates for school meals per child per day
|
Meal |
Max rate of payment (per child per day) |
|
Breakfast/Snack |
€0.75 |
|
Lunch or afterschool with drink Lunch or Afterschool no drink |
€1.70 €1.40 |
|
Dinner with drink Dinner no drink |
€2.50 €2.20 |
|
Hot meal |
€3.20 |
I trust this clarifies the matter.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (719)
Michael Cahill
Question:719. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to reconsider introducing a cost of living disability payment in 2026 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7675/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Department of Social Protection provides a range of income support payments for disabled people. There are currently approximately 231,000 recipients of disability income support payments, with estimated expenditure of €3.24 billion in 2025.
The Government recognises the significant additional costs that disabled people can face in their daily lives and is committed to 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 currently at the start of that five-year programme. It is not possible to do everything in the first year but our actions in Budget 2026 indicate our commitment to delivering what we promised.
Government was clear that there would be no one-off payments 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, or 4.1%, increase in the weekly rates of payment, bringing the personal rates of payment to €254 per week from this month.
• A €5 increase or 15% increase in the Fuel Allowance, bringing it to €38 per week or €1,064 per annum from this month.
Both of these increases were ahead of cost increases. They compare to a general inflation rate reported by the Central Statistics Office of 3.2% in the year to the end of November 2025 and an energy cost increase of about 3.5% for the same period.
In addition Budget 2026 provided for:
• 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.
• 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 from January.
• Significant increases in the rate of payment of the Wage Subsidy Scheme of up to 19% from April.
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.
The Programme for Government commits to introducing a permanent Annual Cost of Disability Support Payment. In addition, under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, which was developed with significant input form Disability groups and advocates, it was agreed to establish a Strategic Focus Network Summit on the Cost of Disability. This work is being led by my Department and will also involve other Government departments in a cross-government endeavour. This work 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 prioritise this work with a view to bringing a proposal to Government in the first half of this year.
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. A Heating Supplement is also available. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers and are available to anyone who needs them 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 (www.mywelfare.ie/).
I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Benefits
Questions (720, 721)
Barry Ward
Question:720. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 1545 of 13 January 2026, the position regarding a timeline for the phasing out of the means test for carer’s allowance as committed to in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7738/26]
View answerBarry Ward
Question:721. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 1545 of 13 January 2026, the approximate financial cost to the state of removing the means test for carers allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7739/26]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 720 and 721 together.
The Carer’s Allowance is the main scheme by which the Department provides income support to carers. Expenditure on Carer’s Allowance in 2026 is estimated to exceed €1.4 billion.
The Programme for Government has set out a timeframe which commits to significantly increasing the income disregards for Carer’s Allowance in each Budget, with a view to phasing out the means test during the lifetime of this Government.
This process is underway. From last July the amount of weekly earnings disregarded was increased to €625 for a single person and €1,250 for a couple. As part of Budget 2026, I announced further improvements to the Carer’s Allowance means test that will be introduced this July. The weekly income disregard will increase by 60% from €625 to €1,000 for a single person, and from €1,250 to €2,000 for carers who are part of couple.
Since June 2022, there have been cumulative increases to the disregards of over 200%.
The changes to the means test announced in Budget 2026 are the largest ever increases in the Carer’s Allowance income disregard and will result in more carers qualifying for Carer’s Allowance. For example, a carer in a two-adult household with an income of approximately €110,000 will retain their full Carer’s Allowance payment and even with an income of €138,000 will retain a partial payment.
The Department has estimated a cost of approximately €600 million to abolish the Carer’s Allowance means test. This is based on administrative data. However, this cost stretches out to a potential €3 billion per annum if everyone who self-declared as a carer in Census 2022 were to qualify. It is acknowledged that the latter figure is a high-level estimate only.
This is a major change to the Carer's Allowance, and to the Irish social welfare system generally. It is important to acknowledge that there are wider implications of departing from a means-tested approach above the cost exposure and for this reason the income disregard is being abolished in a measured way over a number of Budgets.
The recent improvements outlined are evidence of the Government’s determination to deliver on its commitment to phase out the Carer's Allowance means test over the course of this Dáil term. We will continue to progress this commitment in light of the prevailing budgetary conditions.
I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
Question No. 721 answered with Question No. 720.
Departmental Bodies
Questions (722)
Matt Carthy
Question:722. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection the agencies and bodies under the aegis of his Department; the contact information of each available to members of the Oireachtas as per the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circular 25/2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7773/26]
View answerWritten answers
The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of my Department are the Citizens Information Board, the National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority, the Pensions Authority, the Pensions Council and the Social Welfare Tribunal.
The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circular 25/2016 sets out that each State body should provide and maintain a dedicated email address for queries from Oireachtas members. The contact information for each of these bodies is set out in tabular format below:
|
Name of Statutory Body |
Oireachtas members’ contact email address |
|
Citizens Information Board |
oireachtas@ciboard.ie |
|
National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority |
tdreps@naersa.ie |
|
Pensions Authority |
oireachtas@pensionsauthority.ie |
|
Pensions Council |
oireachtas@pensionscouncil.ie |
|
Social Welfare Tribunal |
ann.donoghue2@welfare.ie |
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
School Meals Programme
Questions (723)
Cathy Bennett
Question:723. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of local providers of the hot school meals per county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7880/26]
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.
My Department provides the funding for the School Meals Programme directly to the school. My department does not select or approve suppliers. Each school is responsible for choosing their school meals supplier on the open market, in a fair and transparent manner in accordance with public procurement rules. Supplier proximity to school is not part of the process. The Department of Education and Youth Schools Procurement Unit provides guidance to schools for all procurements including the School Meals Programme.
Below is the breakdown of the 2025/2026 preliminary list of the number of all suppliers that are currently suppling Hot School Meals per county. It is important to note that the 2025/2026 academic school year started a few months ago and applications continue to be received and processed.
|
County |
No. of Supplier of Hot Meals |
|
CARLOW |
6 |
|
CAVAN |
11 |
|
CLARE |
12 |
|
CORK |
18 |
|
DONEGAL |
19 |
|
DUBLIN |
13 |
|
GALWAY |
15 |
|
KERRY |
11 |
|
KILDARE |
8 |
|
KILKENNY |
9 |
|
LAOIS |
7 |
|
LEITRIM |
11 |
|
LIMERICK |
12 |
|
LONGFORD |
8 |
|
LOUTH |
7 |
|
MAYO |
20 |
|
MEATH |
8 |
|
MONAGHAN |
13 |
|
OFFALY |
9 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
13 |
|
SLIGO |
10 |
|
TIPPERARY |
11 |
|
WATERFORD |
7 |
|
WESTMEATH |
9 |
|
WEXFORD |
5 |
|
WICKLOW |
8
|
I trust this clarifies the matter.
Departmental Contracts
Questions (724)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:724. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department or any body under its remit has any contracts with an organisation (details supplied); or has contracted work from that organisation within the past two years. [7937/26]
View answerWritten answers
My Department or any body under its remit has not held any contracts with the company in question in 2024 or 2025.
All contracts over €25,000 awarded by the Department are published quarterly on gov.ie at www.gov.ie/en/collection/6d4953-procurement-contracts-awarded/.
Departmental Contracts
Questions (725)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:725. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department or any body under its remit has any contracts with an organisation (details supplied); or has contracted work from that organisation within the past two years. [7955/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Department has had one contract awarded to The CPL Institute in 2021. This contract for Manual Handling Instructor Training was awarded from an OGP framework and ended in February 2025.
The Pension Authority has one contract awarded to CPL Recruitment Services in 2024, for support in delivering recruitment services. The duration is for one year with the provision for three one year extensions.
The National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority (NAERSA), Citizens Information Board, Pensions Authority and Social Welfare Tribunal have no contracts with the company in question in 2024 or 2025.
All contracts over €25,000 awarded by the Department are published quarterly on Gov.ie at www.gov.ie/en/collection/6d4953-procurement-contracts-awarded/.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (726)
Robert Troy
Question:726. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will urgently review the possibility of a supplementary winter payment for those with a disability given the continually high energy costs. [8020/26]
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. It is not possible to do everything in the first year but our actions in Budget 2026 indicate our commitment to delivering what we promised. Government had been very clear that there would be no once-off measures in Budget 2026.
In the Budget, I provided for a €1.15 billion package of new social protection measures. This contained significant targeted measures to support disabled people, including:
• A Christmas bonus double payment to all persons getting a long-term disability payment, paid in December 2025.
• A €10 increase in the weekly rates of payment, bringing the personal rates of payment to €254 per week from January 2026.
• 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 January 2026.
• A €20 increase in the monthly Domiciliary Care Allowance payment bringing the payment to €380 per month from January 2026.
• 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.
• Increasing the rates paid under the Wage Subsidy Scheme from April 2026.
Both the increases to personal rates of payment and the Fuel Allowance were ahead of the general inflation rate reported by the Central Statistics Office of 3.2% in the year to the end of November 2025, and an energy cost increase of approximately 3.5% for the same period.
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 Summit on the Cost of Disability.
This work which includes 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 prioritise this work with a view to bringing a proposal to Government in the first half of the year.
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 Supplementary Welfare Allowance 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. 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 Benefits
Questions (727)
Paul McAuliffe
Question:727. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection to carry out a full review of the partial capacity benefit claim of a person (details supplied). [8079/26]
View answerWritten answers
Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) is a social welfare scheme which allows a person to return to work or self-employment and continue to receive a payment from my department. People in receipt of Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit who wish to return to work are eligible for PCB if their capacity for work is reduced due to their medical condition.
Where a person is in receipt of Illness Benefit (IB), a person must have an underlying entitlement to IB for a period of 6 months and be in receipt of IB the day before PCB is due to commence. A person must also apply for PCB within 21 days of commencing employment. Under Social Welfare legislation, any application received, where employment commenced more than 21 days ago, is disallowed.
There is a two stage application process with regard to PCB. The applicant first notifies the Department of their intent to take up employment and applies for PCB. The Department will determine whether the applicant is eligible and (if so) at what level the PCB would be paid. Once that decision is made the applicant must then subsequently confirm that they wish to proceed on that basis or not and confirm the date that their employment is commencing. The PCB team will then put the relevant payment in place. The average time for this process is usually less than 3 weeks.
The customer concerned made an application for PCB on 12 September 2025 with an anticipated return to work date of 8 September 2025. At time of application, it was not disclosed that they had returned to work on 20 August 2025. Their PCB application was disallowed on 23 October 2025 on the following grounds that the application had been received more than 21 days after they had commenced work and the person concerned failed to notify the Department of their change in circumstances in that they had returned to work on 20 August 2025.
A Review of the decision of 23 October 2025 was carried out on 12 November 2025 at the request of the person concerned. Following the review, PCB was disallowed on 27 November 2025 on the grounds outlined above. In addition, the claim was also disallowed as they did not have an underlying entitlement to IB on the date of application as IB had ceased on 19 August 2025.
A further review was carried out on 28 January 2026. PCB was disallowed on all of the grounds above. The person concerned was notified of this decision along with their right to request a further review or appeal this decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
State Pensions
Questions (728)
James Geoghegan
Question:728. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Social Protection to review correspondence from a person (details supplied) regarding pensions;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8084/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Government acknowledges the important role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. Accordingly, carers are not excluded from access to the State pension (contributory). Once a person has met the minimum requirement of 520 paid contributions, the State pension system gives significant recognition to those whose work history includes extended periods in a full-time caring role.
The previous Government established the Pension Commission in November 2020 to review the State Pension system, examine the sustainability of the State Pension and the Social Insurance Fund and make recommendations for its future. The Commission was an independent body comprised of knowledgeable and experienced academics, pension experts, members of civil society and representatives of workers and employers.
The Pensions Commission was asked to consider how people who have provided long-term care for incapacitated dependants could be accommodated within the State Pension system. The Commission engaged in a public consultation process and had the benefit of presentations from Family Carer’s Ireland and the National Women’s Council in forming its recommendations on the proposals and the period of care. The Commission recommended that long-term carers should be given access to the SPC and defined long-term caring as caring for more than 20 years. Setting the criteria of more than 20 years is in recognition of the existing access to SPC for carers who may have up to 20 years of caring periods.
Since January 2024, long-term carer's contributions can be awarded to a person who has cared for an incapacitated person for a period of 20 years or more. These contributions are treated in the same as paid contributions for SPC entitlement only and can be used to fill any gaps in a person's contribution record, including satisfying the minimum 520 contributions required for eligibility.
Where a person has less than 20 years caring, they may be entitled to avail of up to 20 years HomeCaring periods or the Homemakers scheme or rely on PRSI credits subject to existing qualification conditions of having 520 paid contributions. All caring periods that are registered with my Department will be recorded on a person's contribution record.
The records of my Department show the person concerned has 316 Irish paid contributions, 630 Irish credited contributions while caring, in addition to 1053 French paid contributions and 91 French credited contributions (giving them an entitlement to pension from that jurisdiction).
A decision letter issued on 30 May 2023 to advise they did not qualify for the standard contributory pension based on their Irish contribution record as they had less than the 520 paid contributions required to qualify. Their entitlement to a pro-rata EU pension was then examined and they were found to have entitlement to 45% of the maximum rate of pension. A decision letter issued on 4 July 2023 to advise that while they qualified for the pro-rata state pension, it was financially more beneficial to remain on the Carer's Allowance. The pro-rata state pension was subsequently awarded with effect from 24 April 2025 when the Carer's Allowance ended.
As the person concerned spent significant periods of their working life in another EU country, EU Regulations provide that contributions paid in that country may be used to calculate entitlement to a pro-rate pension from Ireland. The 630 credited contributions awarded for the period when they were caring in this State increased their entitlement from my Department under the pro-rata calculation, giving a current entitlement of €134.40.
I am satisfied that the relevant information for carers is available on both the Government and Citizens Information websites. The information is regularly reviewed and updated, as necessary.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Schemes
Questions (729)
Liam Quaide
Question:729. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection whether compensation following an accident is taken into consideration during the income assessment for disability allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8122/26]
View answerWritten answers
Disability Allowance (DA) is a means-tested payment for people with a specified disability, aged between 16 and 66, whose disability is expected to last for at least one year. Entitlement is subject to medical assessment, means test, and habitual residence conditions.
Means are assessed in accordance with Social Welfare legislation. They include any income belonging to the claimant and their spouse, civil partner, or cohabitant; property other than the family home; and assets that could yield income, such as savings, investments, or occupational pensions.
The value of capital is assessed on a tapered basis for DA, with the first €50,000 fully disregarded and further amounts assessed as follows:
• Next €10,000: €1 per €1,000
• Next €10,000: €2 per €1,000
• Balance over €70,000: €4 per €1,000
Social welfare legislation provides specific exemptions for certain compensation payments, which are fully disregarded in the means test. These disregards include, for example, all income derived from payments awarded by the Hepatitis C and HIV Compensation Tribunal, the Residential Institutions Redress Board and payments made in relation to disability caused by Thalidomide.
In addition, ex gratia payments made to women who were admitted to and worked in the Magdalen Laundries, or through the Symphysiotomy Payment Scheme, or payments made by the Minister of Health in accordance with recommendations proposed by the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme are also disregarded.
Compensation or court awards not specifically provided for in legislation are assessed under the normal means rules.
If the Deputy has a particular case in mind, details may be forwarded to the Disability Allowance Section for examination.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Schemes
Questions (730)
Liam Quaide
Question:730. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on his plans to reform the disability allowance and remove anomalies in the means test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8123/26]
View answerWritten answers
Disability Allowance is my Department's primary disability related social assistance scheme. The payment is subject to a medical assessment, a means test and a habitual residency requirement. The means test takes account of the income a person or couple has in terms of cash, property – other than the family home – and capital.
Disability Allowance has one of the highest capital disregards operated by the Department of Social Protection. A recipient can have up to €50,000 in savings and still receive the full rate of payment. This compares with €20,000 for most social welfare payments.
Over the last five budgets the Government has progressively improved payment rates and income disregards for disabled people. The weekly payment rates for Disability Allowance have increased by €51 in that time. The earnings disregard has increased by almost 38% since Budget 2021 from €120 to €165 currently.
This enables those in receipt of Disability Allowance to earn more without having a negative impact on their means tested payment. This means that people can earn up to €165 per week and keep their payment in full and can earn up to €527.60 per week and keep a portion of their payment.
The Programme for Government commits to reform the Disability Allowance Payment and remove anomalies in the current means test.
My Department is currently reviewing means testing across all its social assistance schemes. The outcome of this review will be used to inform decisions regarding any further changes to means testing. All prospective changes to means testing arrangements will have to be considered in both an overall policy and budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (731, 732, 740)
Ciarán Ahern
Question:731. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will include Grange Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 in the emergency response payment following significant flooding in the area, resulting in significant damage to properties and household goods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8127/26]
View answerCiarán Ahern
Question:732. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Social Protection to include Dublin south-west in the emergency response payment following significant flooding in certain areas which has resulted in significant damage to properties and household goods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8129/26]
View answer
Johnny Mythen
Question:740. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will extend the closing date for stage 1 of the emergency response payment (formerly the humanitarian assistance scheme) to address hardship in the immediate aftermath of emergency events such as flooding, as it is due to close on 4 February 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8554/26]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 731, 732 and 740 together.
The Emergency Response Payment was activated by my department from Tuesday 27 January 2026 to provide support to those living in properties directly affected by Storm Chandra. The scheme has been activated for counties Carlow, Dublin, Kilkenny, Louth, Monaghan, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow.
Due to the ongoing nature of this weather event the date for receipt of applications for Stage 1 of the Emergency Response Payment has been extended from the original closing date of Wednesday 4 February 2026 to Wednesday 11 February 2026.
The Emergency Response Payment prevents hardship by providing income-tested financial support to people whose homes are damaged from flooding and severe weather events and who are unable to meet emergency costs for essential needs, household items and structural repair.
The scheme does not provide a general compensation payment for damage or losses incurred as a consequence of a weather event, nor does it cover damage or losses that are insured under home insurance policies or would reasonably be expected to have been covered by an insurance policy. Neither does it cover commercial, agricultural, or business losses. It is available as a support for households which experience unanticipated and exceptional costs in the immediate aftermath of an extreme weather event.
In dealing with emergency events, the department generally adopts a three-stage approach.
Stage 1 of the scheme is to address hardship in the immediate aftermath of emergency events and is not income tested. It provides emergency support payments to cover immediate and essential costs such as the purchase of food, clothing, bedding and essential personal items for immediate use.
Stage 2 involves the replacement of white goods, basic furniture items and other essential household items. Stage 3 covers the cost of essential structural repairs to a person’s primary residence such as plastering, dry-lining, relaying of floors, electrical re-wiring and painting. Stages 2 and 3 are income tested and will remain open after Stage 1 closes on the 11 February.
The Emergency Response Payment is administered by the Community Welfare Services section of the Department of Social Protection. Community Welfare Services are working closely with the Local Authorities in the affected areas to identify householders that may need support.
As of 2 February 2026, 66 customers have been paid a total of almost €33,400 in Emergency Response Payments in respect of Storm Chandra.
If any homeowner affected by severe weather needs to access these supports, they can contact the Community Welfare Service by phoning 0818 60 70 80.
I trust this clarifies these matters for the Deputies.
Question No. 732 answered with Question No. 731.
Departmental Staff
Questions (733)
John Paul O'Shea
Question:733. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of sick days taken by staff in his Department for each of the years 2022 to 2025; the average days lost per employee for each year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8161/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Deputy is referred to the table below:
|
Year |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
Total of Employees |
6,550.19 |
6,712.79 |
6,973.42 |
7,000.28 |
|
Short Term Sick Leave |
|
|
|
|
|
Sick Leave Days |
28,221.50 |
29,389.06 |
31,737.00 |
32,145.00 |
|
Avg Days Lost per FTE |
4.31 |
4.38 |
4.55 |
4.59 |
|
Long Term Sick Leave |
|
|
|
|
|
Sick Leave Days |
42,664.00 |
42,964.00 |
47,098.00 |
48,573.50 |
|
Avg Days Lost per FTE |
6.51 |
6.4 |
6.75 |
6.94 |
|
Total Sick Leave Days |
70,885.50 |
72,353.06 |
78,835.00 |
80,718.50 |
Sick leave of 28 days or more is considered long-term.
Sick leave of all Civil Servants is governed by Circular 12/2023 “Management of sick leave in the Civil Service”.