Written Answers Nos. 525-544
525. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of families who applied for the domiciliary care allowance for each of the years 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; the number of applications granted, refused; and the number of refusals that were subsequently overturned on appeal, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48754/26]
View answerThe number of claims registered, claims awarded, and claims rejected for Domiciliary Care Allowance for 2024, 2025, and 2026 are shown in the table below. Figures for 2026 are as of 31 May 2026. Note that there is a delay between a claim being registered and receiving a decision. Therefore, a claim registered in one year may not be awarded or rejected until the following year.
|
- |
2024 |
2025 |
2026 |
|
Claims Registered |
13,720 |
15,588 |
7,702 |
|
Claims Awarded |
8,961 |
9,696 |
4,296 |
|
Claims Rejected |
4,554 |
5,167 |
2,405 |
The number of appeals registered, appeals decided, and appeals which were decided in favour of the appellant are shown below.
Note there can be multiple reasons for an appeal, apart from a claim being rejected, such as backdating of a claim. Therefore not all appeals shown here are for rejection of a claim. It is not possible to break down the figures by reason for the appeal. Please also note that the years below refer to the year the appeal was registered or the year the appeal decision was made which may be different to the year of the initial decision.
Note that an appeal can be decided in one of two ways. When the appeal is first received by the Appeals Office, it is sent to the relevant scheme area in the department for a review. If the scheme area decides to issue a revised decision with a positive outcome for the customer then the appeal is successful and the appeal is resolved. If the original decision is upheld by the scheme area, then the appeal is sent back to the Appeals Office for a decision by an Appeals Officer. The Appeals Office can then allow, partially allow, or disallow the appeal. "Appeals Decided in Favour of Customer" refers to appeals which received a revised decision from the scheme area or which were allowed or partially allowed by an Appeals Officer.
|
- |
2024 |
2025 |
2026 |
|
Appeals Registered |
3,609 |
3,145 |
1,366 |
|
Appeals Decided |
2,648 |
4,242 |
1,612 |
|
Appeals Decided in Favour of Appellant |
1,653 |
3,042 |
1,115 |
526. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection the current wait time for domiciliary care allowance appeals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48755/26]
View answerThe average processing time for domiciliary care allowance appeals at the end Q1 2026 was 9.6 weeks.
In comparison, the average processing time for domiciliary care allowance appeals in 2025 was 16 weeks.
The Chief Appeals Officer continues to monitor processing times and every effort is made to reduce the time taken to process an appeal. Domiciliary care allowance appeals as a whole are treated as a priority for my Department. However, the drive for efficiency must be balanced with the competing demand to ensure that decisions are consistent and made in accordance with the provisions set out in primary legislation and regulations.
The Annual Report of the Chief Appeals Officer is published each year and includes information on average processing times for Department schemes including domiciliary care allowance. The reports for years 2015 to 2024 are available on the Social Welfare Appeals Office website: www.gov.ie/en/social-welfare-appeals-office/collections/news-and-publications-from-the-social-welfare-appeals-office/#annual-reports. The 2025 Annual Report is due to be published shortly.
527. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department is considering a review of how long-Covid is classified for social protection purposes, including whether it should be recognised as an occupational illness for healthcare workers; when any such review might take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48765/26]
View answerIn November 2023, my Department published a report on the inclusion of long COVID in the Occupational Injuries Benefit Regulations.
The report concluded that COVID-19 does not satisfy the statutory criteria for recognition as an occupational illness or accident at work. Specifically, it found that presumptions about workplace transmission would not be sustainable as it is not possible to establish with confidence that the disease has been contracted through a person’s occupation and not through community transmission. This is because data show that community transmission was the primary means of transmission.
It is important to note that, even if Ireland did recognise COVID-19 as an occupational disease, this would not encompass long COVID and would only apply to new claims for new cases of COVID-19. As such, it would not benefit those who contracted COVID-19 during the pandemic.
With specific reference to workers in the health services, the report found that the Temporary Scheme of Paid Leave for Public Health Service Employees was the appropriate channel through which a targeted sectoral support should be considered. This Temporary Scheme was a matter for the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, who extended it a number of times. The Scheme ended on 31 December 2025. Any employee of the public health sector remaining unwell after that date may utilise the full provisions of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme which will provide further support.
My Department's range of income supports, including Illness Benefit and Invalidity Pension, at the same or higher rates of payment as Occupational Injuries Benefit, are available to people who cannot work due to the effects of long COVID and who satisfy the Pay-Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contribution requirements. It is important to note that entitlement to these supports is not dependent on the nature of the illness or disability but on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impacts a working age person’s capacity to work.
With regard to additional supports, my Department also provides Additional Needs Payments under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme to help meet essential expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.
528. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of Irish citizens that are receiving State pension contributory but are permanently based outside the State as of 22 June 2026, in tabular form. [48776/26]
View answerEntitlement to state pension contributory is determined based on a claimant's social insurance record.
Information on the total number of Irish citizens receiving the state pension contributory while living abroad is not available. As statistical information captures claimants in receipt of state pension contributory at the end of each month, I can confirm that at end May 2026, the records of my Department show 51,155 state pension contributory recipients reside outside the State.
Recipients living outside the state are listed in the table below. Fifty-six countries have fewer than ten recipients, and for confidentiality reasons these are not listed individually.
529. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider extending eligibility for the back to school clothing and footwear allowance to all children in foster care, regardless of the assessed income of the foster household, in recognition of the additional supports required for children in care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48793/26]
View answerThis Government acknowledges the important role that carers, including foster carers, play and remains fully committed to supporting them. That is why I was really pleased to announce that Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance eligibility has being extended to include children for whom Foster Care Allowance is being paid in 2025.
The Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn. The scheme operates from June to September each year.
In order to qualify for Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, an applicant must satisfy a number of qualifying conditions, one of which requires the applicant’s household income to be within the relevant income limits. The income limits for the scheme are increased annually as part of the budget process.
The Weekly Household Income Limits for 2026 are:
|
No. of Children |
Income Limit |
|
1 child |
€726.70 |
|
2 children |
€804.70 |
|
3 children |
€882.70 |
|
4 children* |
€960.70 |
* Limit is increased by €78 for each additional child.
The household income includes weekly social protection payments, gross income from employment, minus employee PRSI and a €20 travel allowance and any other income the household may have.
Any income from Working Family Payment, Child Benefit, Rent Supplement, Back to Work Family Dividend, Guardian’s Payments, Domiciliary Care Allowance, Blind Welfare Allowance, Foster Care Allowance, Higher Level Education grants is not assessable. Rehabilitative employment (up to €165 per week) is also not assessable.
I have no plans to amend the eligibility criteria or to remove the income test for the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear scheme at this time.
I encourage foster care families to apply for the allowance and their entitlement will be assessed.
530. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection whether schools operating the school meals scheme are expected to prevent invoicing for meals ordered for children who are unexpectedly absent; the authority the schools have to cancel meals on behalf of parents; whether schools can be held financially or administratively accountable for meals ordered through supplier systems, where cancellation is not possible after the supplier deadline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48846/26]
View answerMy Department provides the funding for School Meals directly to schools. The Primary relationship is between the school and supplier. The Schools Procurement Unit under the Department of Education and Youth, provides guidance to schools for all procurements including the School Meals Programme. New Procurement documentation which issued in August 2025 stipulates that School Meal Scheme suppliers operate a 48 hour cancellation policy.
Parents or guardians are required to cancel orders if they know in advance that the child will be absent from school. If a child is unexpectedly absent, cancellation is not possible for that day, and the meal charged by the supplier is covered by the Department. The school is not responsible where parents or guardians fail to cancel meals.
Schools conduct a reconciliation of meals delivered against suppliers’ invoices. As part of a school’s annual application for funding, a full examination of income and expenditure is conducted by my Department. This includes the school submitting bank statements and invoices for the previous academic year. This is to ensure that there are no irregularities in payments or blanket charging by suppliers. Any surplus funds are factored into the calculation of the allocation for the school for the next academic year.
531. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 307 of 25 September 2025, if the interdepartmental working group on non-binary gender has been established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48901/26]
View answerThe Review Group for the Gender Recognition Act recommended in its report extending legal gender recognition to non-binary people, while also recognising the complexity of the issue and acknowledging that a comprehensive impact analysis will be required initially.
In June 2025 the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality, Integration and Youth launched the National LGBTIQ+Inclusion Strategy II (2024-2028). A Steering Committee, chaired by the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality, Integration and Youth has been established comprising representatives from the LGBTIQ+ community and statutory and non-statutory bodies including Government Departments.
As part of this strategy there is a commitment to carry out an impact assessment on providing legal recognition for those who identify as non-binary. My officials will engage with the Department of Children, Disability, Equality, Integration and Youth, along with other relevant departments, to progress this matter.
532. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps being taken to address matters raised in a report (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49014/26]
View answerI have noted the findings of the Barnardos report, Cost of Living – Impact on Children 2026.
The Government is very focused on supporting these families who are most in need and most impacted by the increased cost of living.
Our package of supports for energy costs introduced in March and April this year reflects this. That package included an extension of the 2025/2026 Fuel Allowance season by four weeks.
In total, €28.9 billion will be spent on social protection this year, including more than €320 million in targeted measures designed to reduce child poverty. Some of these targeted measures for families include:
• The extension of the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance to two- and three-year-olds, supporting over 144,000 families last year with back-to-school costs;
• The highest ever increases to the Child Support Payment for children under 12 and over, acknowledging the higher costs with older children; and
• Higher Working Family Payment thresholds, as well as expanding the eligibility of Fuel Allowance to families in receipt of Working Family payment.
Despite the progress to date, we know we have more to do to support families in need and this will be a key consideration for Budget 2027. In tandem, cross-Government work to reduce poverty, including for families and children, is ongoing and is being guided by the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2026-2030, which was published in May.
We are moving in the right direction, with the latest CSO poverty data showing welcome decreases in the rates of national consistent poverty and child consistent poverty. This data, from the Survey on Income and Living Conditions 2025, is based on 2024 income and therefore does not reflect significant measures from Budgets 2025 and 2026.
533. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider an increase in the rate of carer’s allowance in Budget 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49031/26]
View answerThe Government recognises the vital role that family carers play and remains committed to supporting them. The Programme for Government includes commitments to progressively increase weekly Carer’s payments and to significantly increase the income disregards for Carer’s Allowance with a view to phasing out the means test over the lifetime of this Government.
Carer’s Allowance is the main income support for carers, with just under 108,000 people receiving the payment at a cost of over €1.4 billion this year. As part of Budget 2026, a range of measures to support family carers were announced.
In January 2026 there was a €10 increase in the maximum personal rate of Carer's Allowance and Carer's Benefit to €270 and €271, respectively, for carers aged under 66. For those aged 66 and over, the weekly rate for Carer’s Allowance is now €308. There are proportionate increases for people getting a reduced rate. This is the fifth successive rise in weekly welfare rates which have increased by €51 over the last five years.
Also in January, Domiciliary Care Allowance increased by €20 to €380 per month. The Child Support Payment increased to €78 for children aged 12 and over and €58 for those under 12.
Significant progress has been made on phasing out the means test. In July 2025, income disregards increased to €625 for a single person and €1,250 for a couple. This week from 2 July 2026, they will increase further to €1,000 and €2,000 respectively, over a 200% increase since 2022. The earnings limit for Carer’s Benefit will also increase to €1,000 per week after tax. Virtually all of those on Carer's Allowance will now be paid at the maximum rate of payment.
Decisions on any further improvements for Carer's will be considered as part of the Budget 2027 process. My Department will also engage with stakeholders at the Pre-Budget Forum on 1 July. This will help inform the development of proposals for the forthcoming Budget.
534. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection the total cost of engagement with a company (details supplied) in each of the years 2020 to 2025, across his Department, by project, year and value; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49099/26]
View answerThe details requested by the Deputy in respect of the total cost of engagement with the company referred in the years from 2020 to 2025 are set out below.
The figures provided for 2025 are provisional pending publication of the 2025 Appropriation Account.
A breakdown of the annual expenditure is published on the Gov.ie website at: www.gov.ie/en/organisation-information/48366f-department-of-employment-affairs-and-social-protection-policy-on-pro/#what-we-purchase.
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.
535. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if an increase in the rate of disability allowance is planned as part of Budget 2027; the level of any increase being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49156/26]
View answerThe Government is committed improving outcomes for disabled people. That is why the Programme for Government includes a range of commitments to support disabled people, including a commitment to progressively increase weekly Disability Payments and the Domiciliary Care Allowance.
However, as the Deputy will understand it would not be appropriate for me to discuss in any detail the measures that are being considered in the context context of Budget 2026. These details will be discussed within Government in the first instance.
The Programme for Government includes a commitment to introduce a permanent Cost of Disability payment. That is a priority for me, and for the Government. This initiative will add to improvements nalready made arising from Budget 2026. As part of an overall package of €1.15 billion in new social protection measures, expenditure in respect of disabled people and their carers was increased to just under €6 billion per annum.
The Budget 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 January 2026. As a result, there has been a €51 increase to weekly disability income support payments since Budget 2021. I also provided for increases in the level of the increase for a qualified adult, the largest ever increase in the Child Support Payment, the largest ever increase in the income disregard for Carer’s Allowance, increases in the rates of Domiciliary Care Allowance, and improvements to the Wage Subsidy Scheme among others.
Under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, I hosted the Strategic Focus Network Summit on Cost of Disability in the Aviva Stadium on 13 May 2026. I spoke with the Joint Oireachtas Committee about it recently. Ahead of the Summit I ran a public consultation process on how a cost of disability payment can best be delivered. Over 1,100 submissions were received. A report on the Summit and the submissions received will be presented to the National Delivery and Monitoring Committee which is chaired by the Taoiseach.
We are also continuing to engage with disability groups. A specific workshop on disability matters was hosted as part of the National Economic Dialogue and we will continue this engagement throughout the pre-budget period including at the annual Pre-Budget Forum which I will host on 1 July. All of these engagements together with the output of the Strategic Focus Network will inform the approach that we take in Budget 2027.
536. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 624 of 16 June 2026, to state how the 5,364 EU/EEA nationals and 2,606 nationals from other countries are entitled to disability allowance; are entitled to have been on it continuously for over five years; which such individuals are the subject of restrictions on their right to reside in Ireland, such as finding adequate employment and not being a burden on the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49165/26]
View answerDisability Allowance (DA) is a means-tested social assistance payment. To qualify, a person must have a qualifying injury, disease, or disability (long-term and substantially restricting work), satisfy a means test and, reside and be habitually resident in Ireland.
The habitual residence condition (HRC) assessment consists of two parts, both of which are required to be satisfied, which includes an unconditional right to reside and an assessment of the individuals situations and intentions based on the five factors, provided for legislatively, namely: 1) Length and continuity of residence in Ireland, 2) Length and purpose of any absence from Ireland, 3) Nature and pattern of employment, 4) Applicant’s main centre of interest and 5) Future intentions to remain in Ireland.
These conditions apply to all applicants of Disability Allowance and must continue to be satisfied for the duration of the claim.
There is no time limit on receiving Disability Allowance and a person can continue to receive payment until they reach 66 years once they continue to satisfy the eligibility requirements.
537. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection whether retired workers will be represented at an upcoming meeting of his European counterparts along with social partners, organised by his Department (details supplied), and in particular whether the Senior Citizens Parliament will be invited to participate. [49180/26]
View answer538. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection whether retired workers will be represented at an upcoming meeting involving his European counterparts along with social partners (details supplied) and in particular whether the Senior Citizens Parliament will be invited to participate. [49181/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 537 and 538 together.
In addition to European Employment and Social Policy Ministers, representatives from the European Social Partners and European Civic Society organisations, such as the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Business Europe, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Social Platform, to which Irish social partners and Irish civic society organisations are affiliated, are invited to contribute to the informal ministerial meeting discussions.
Trade Unions represent retired trade union members through their retired member sections ensuring that these organisations help former workers maintain a collective voice, protect occupational pensions and secure access to specific union benefits. ICTU is an afiliated member of ETUC.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) comprising a membership of employers, trade unionists and representatives of social, occupational, economic and cultural organisations is an EU advisory body. The Social Platform is the largest, leading non-Governmental organisation working on social issues in Europe. Among the membership of both the EESC and the Social Platform is the European NGO AGE Platform Europe, to which Irish NGOs representing older people are affiliated.
In these circumstances I can assure the Deputy that the perspectives of citizens, including older people, and civic society are represented at the informal meeting discussions.
539. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide an update on a carer's allowance application for a person (details supplied). [49185/26]
View answerCarer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that, as a result, they require that level of care.
Means are any income belonging to the carer and their spouse / civil partner / cohabitant, property (except their own home) or an asset that could bring in money or provide them with an income (for example occupational pensions, or pensions or benefits from another country).
An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 19 February 2026.
It is a condition for receipt of CA that every claimant shall furnish such certificates, documents, information and evidence as may be required for the purposes of deciding their claim.
Additional information in relation to the person’s application was requested by a Deciding Officer on 25 February 2026.
The person concerned failed to provide all the requested information and the claim was disallowed as it was not possible to determine that the person concerned satisfied the necessary conditions for receipt of CA. The person concerned was notified of this decision on 01 May 2026. They were also notified of their right to have the decision reviewed (where further information is available) or to appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
A review was initiated on foot of information received from the person concerned on 14 May 2026.
The outcome of the review was that claim was disallowed as the means of the person concerned exceeded the statutory means limit. The person concerned was notified of this decision and of the right of review/appeal on 24 June 2026.
540. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection the guidance,or assistance that can be afforded to a school (details supplied) whereby they are having difficulty in securing a hot school meals provider. [49192/26]
View answerUnder 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.
My officials in this Department have been working with officials in the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht and they have compiled a list of supports available to local community organisations who may wish to expand their operation into the school meals area. This information has been supplied to some rural schools and a range of other community organisations. This can be obtained from my department. Schools can also engage with local café, restaurants, local suppliers, and meals on wheels services.
My officials have contacted Boher NS to advise them of their options including engaging with local café, restaurants, local suppliers, and meals on wheels services. My officials will continue to support this school.
541. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Social Protection whether consideration will be given in Budget 2027 to further supports for families of people with disabilities who are heavily reliant on private transport due to the lack of accessible public transport services in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49422/26]
View answerSupporting disabled people and their families is a key priority for the Government. That is why the Programme for Government and the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030 include a range of commitments to support disabled people.
The accessibility and availability of public transport are matters for my colleague, the Minister for Transport.
My Department operates the Free Travel Scheme which provides travel, free of charge, on all public transport owned by the State. This includes bus, rail, Local Link and the Luas, with some exceptions. Free travel is also available on some services operated by private bus and ferry transport operators. A Free Travel Public Services Card may be used to travel free of charge on cross-border journeys between Ireland and Northern Ireland and vice versa, but not for free travel within Northern Ireland.
Everyone who is 66 or over and legally living permanently in the State, can avail of the Free Travel Scheme. A person aged under 66, may be entitled to use the Free Travel Scheme if they are legally living permanently in the State and in receipt of certain payments such as Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension, or Carer’s Allowance.
In addition, as part of Budget 2024, access to the Free Travel Scheme was expanded to support people, aged over 17 and under 66, who are medically certified as unable to drive for a period of 12 months or longer. There is no requirement that a person must be in receipt of a Social Welfare payment in order to qualify for a Free Travel Pass on these medical grounds, provided the other qualifying criteria are met.
Furthermore, people who move directly from certain long term social protection schemes, such as Disability Allowance, into employment are entitled to retain their Free Travel entitlement for a further period of 5 years, where they previously had the entitlement to free travel on the scheme.
A person aged 70 years or over who qualifies for Free Travel is entitled to a Companion Free Travel Public Services Card which allows a companion who is over 16 to travel with them for free. No one else can use your Free Travel Public Services Card, it is for you only. A person under age 70 who has a Free Travel Public Services Card and is unable to travel alone due to a medical condition, can apply for a Companion Free Travel Public Services Card.
542. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of cases in which Part 5 applications for the making of Decision Making Representation Orders under the Assisted Decision Making Acts have been provided with independent advocacy support from the National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities funded by Comhairle. [49485/26]
View answerThe National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities (NAS) is funded and supported by the Citizens Information Board (CIB), which has a mandate under the Citizens Information Act 2007 to provide advocacy for people with disabilities.
The NAS provides an independent, confidential and free, issues-based representative advocacy service that works exclusively for the person using the service and adheres to professional standards. NAS has a particular remit for people with disabilities who are isolated from their community and services, have communication differences or have limited informal or natural supports.
Decision-Making Representation Orders (DMROs) are applications made under Part 5 of the Act. The number of cases where NAS has supported individuals in relation to DMROs since the commencement of the Act on 26 April 2023 is as follows:
• 2023: (26 April – 31 December): 16 cases.
• 2024: 73 cases.
• 2025: 128 cases.
• 2026: (1 January – 25 June): 135 cases.
NAS also supports a broader range of decision-making-related advocacy work under the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015. This includes support across all aspects of the Act, such as assisted decision-making agreements, co-decision-making agreements, capacity assessments, advance healthcare directives, enduring powers of attorney, and applications relating to ward of court discharge, as well as Decision-Making Representation Orders.
543. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on his Department’s priorities for Ireland’s EU Council Presidency. [49587/26]
View answerMy Department has an ambitious policy programme for the 2026 Presidency of the Council of the European Union that dovetails with the three priorities of Competitiveness, Values and Security. The coordination of the Employment and Social Policy Council ( EPSCO) for Ireland falls within the remit of the Department.
My priorities include progressing the negotiations on the Fair Labour Mobility Package, due to be published in September and part of the One Europe One Market Roadmap. In particualar, I will seek to advance the digital European Social Security Pass (ESSPASS) to reduce administrative friction for businesses and mobile workers, and do further work on Regulation 883/2004 to improve social security coordination.
In addtion, though progressing through the Econonic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN), there are two supplementary pensions files that are of strategic importance, part also of the One Europe One Market Roadmap, one of which falls under the aegis of my Department and on which my officials are working closely with officials from the Department of Finance to progress to finalisation.
Progressing the first European Anti-Poverty Strategy and reinforcing the European Pillar of Social Rights is a priority for the Irish Presidency. Specifically, my Department will support work that delivers on our commitments to reduce the number of people at risk of social exclusion which is more likely to affect unemployed people, lone parent families, migrant and ethnic minority communities and disabled people.
A personal priority for me, and indeed for my Department, is a on closing the disability employment gap. Ireland has one of the worst disability employment gaps in the EU, we are not where we need to be, and I want to change that.
In particular, we need to learn more about the policy levers that can successfully harness the skills and talents of people with disabilities in the workplace.
In addition, my Department will support the strengthening of the European Child Guarantee and will work to improve outcomes for children experiencing disadvantage, with a particular focus on parenting supports.
At EPSCO, our presidency programme will demonstrate that our European values are not just abstract ideals but practical principles in which a more equal and more socially inclusive society helps not just to sustain the economy but to fuel its growth and development.
544. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide figures of the cost overruns by his Department, relative to the budgeted amount in Budget 2026; the cost overruns by his Department, relative to the budgeted amount in Budget 2026 for each State Agency under the aegis of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49666/26]
View answerAs at end May 2026, the Department’s overall expenditure on schemes, services and administration is €12.01 billion. This represents a variance of €89.5 million over budget, or 0.8% in the year to date.
The primary reason for the variance relates to additional expenditure on Fuel Allowance following the Government Decision in 2026 to extend the Fuel Allowance season by 4 weeks.
No state agency under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection have reported cost overruns relative to their budgeted amount so far this year.
