Joe Cooney
Question:370. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of retained firefighters serving each fire station in County Clare compared with the approved establishment. [54529/26]
View answerFire Service
Questions (370)
Written answers
A September 2023 Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) agreement with retained firefighters provides for a national standard level of 12 crew per retained fire station. This rise in crewing numbers equates to an approximate increase of 20% in retained firefighter numbers from the pre-WRC agreement position.
The recruitment of additional retained firefighters is helping to build higher levels of capacity and resilience in the retained fire service. These measures strengthen both the response capability and fire safety across the communities served by a network of 201 retained fire stations.
Under Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which they are responsible. My Department oversees strategic workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring of local government sector employment levels. To this end, my Department gathers aggregate quarterly data on staff numbers in each local authority on a whole time equivalent basis.
However, granular data, in terms of the number or grade of staff assigned to specific work areas in each local authority including in the fire service, is not collected and consequently is not available in my Department. The relevant information would be available from the local authorities concerned.
Fire Service
Questions (371)
Joe Cooney
Question:371. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of emergency call-outs attended by Clare fire service, by station, in each of the past five years. [54530/26]
View answerWritten answers
The tables below set out the number of call outs in each of the fire stations in Clare in each of the past five years.
|
2021 |
|
|
|
|
|
Fire Station |
Turnouts to Fires |
Turnouts to Special Service Incidents |
Turnouts to False Alarm Incidents |
Total Number of Turnouts
|
|
Ennis |
107 |
154 |
70 |
331 |
|
Shannon |
54 |
65 |
36 |
155 |
|
Ennistymon |
38 |
62 |
17 |
117 |
|
Scariff |
23 |
60 |
14 |
97 |
|
Killaloe |
18 |
52 |
12 |
82 |
|
Kilrush |
34 |
57 |
21 |
112 |
|
Kilkee |
21 |
42 |
5 |
68 |
|
2022 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fire Station |
Turnouts to Fires |
Turnouts to Special Service Incidents |
Turnouts to False Alarm Incidents |
Total Number of Turnouts |
|
|
Ennis |
155 |
190 |
69 |
414 |
|
|
Shannon |
56 |
87 |
52 |
195 |
|
|
Ennistymon |
29 |
80 |
26 |
135 |
|
|
Scariff |
29 |
65 |
15 |
109 |
|
|
Killaloe |
23 |
50 |
13 |
86 |
|
|
Kilrush |
22 |
66 |
20 |
108 |
|
|
Kilkee |
22 |
43 |
5 |
70 |
|
|
2023 |
|
|
|
|
|
Fire Station |
Turnouts to Fires |
Turnouts to Special Service Incidents |
Turnouts to False Alarm Incidents |
Total Number of Turnouts |
|
Ennis |
124 |
186 |
73 |
383 |
|
Shannon |
66 |
109 |
45 |
220 |
|
Ennistymon |
36 |
95 |
22 |
153 |
|
Scariff |
20 |
75 |
9 |
104 |
|
Killaloe |
13 |
61 |
16 |
90 |
|
Kilrush |
26 |
69 |
20 |
115 |
|
Kilkee |
21 |
35 |
5 |
61 |
|
2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
Fire Station |
Turnouts to Fires |
Turnouts to Special Service Incidents |
Turnouts to False Alarm Incidents |
Total Number of Turnouts |
|
Ennis |
123 |
298 |
81 |
502 |
|
Shannon |
40 |
125 |
66 |
231 |
|
Ennistymon |
39 |
145 |
33 |
217 |
|
Scariff |
21 |
94 |
7 |
122 |
|
Killaloe |
21 |
79 |
27 |
127 |
|
Kilrush |
26 |
119 |
23 |
168 |
|
Kilkee |
21 |
57 |
8 |
86 |
|
2025 |
|
|
|
|
|
Fire Station |
Turnouts to Fires |
Turnouts to Special Service Incidents |
Turnouts to False Alarm Incidents |
Total Number of Turnouts |
|
Ennis |
119 |
300 |
86 |
505 |
|
Shannon |
46 |
154 |
54 |
254 |
|
Ennistymon |
40 |
167 |
34 |
241 |
|
Scariff |
29 |
105 |
14 |
148 |
|
Killaloe |
31 |
82 |
21 |
134 |
|
Kilrush |
54 |
87 |
20 |
161 |
|
Kilkee |
24 |
55 |
10 |
89 |
Departmental Schemes
Questions (372)
Joe Cooney
Question:372. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number and value of built heritage investment scheme grants awarded in County Clare during each of the past five years. [54531/26]
View answerWritten answers
Details of the number and value of Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) grants awarded to Clare County Council over the past five years are set out in the table below:
Clare County Council Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) funding 2026 – 2022
|
Year |
No. of Projects |
Funding Allocated |
|
BHIS 2026 |
11 |
€165,720.73 |
|
BHIS 2025 |
11 |
€165,720.73 |
|
BHIS 2024 |
12 |
€93,287.00 |
|
BHIS 2023 |
10 |
€96,000.00 |
|
BHIS 2022 |
10 |
€96,000.00 |
|
TOTALS |
54 |
€616,728.46 |
The figures for 2024, 2025, and 2026 include funding awarded under the Historic Thatched Buildings stream of BHIS.
EU Presidency
Questions (373)
Robert O'Donoghue
Question:373. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of EU Presidency policy and administrative officers now employed on temporary contracts across his Department, in Ireland and abroad; if these individuals can apply to internal civil service competitions for these temporary contracts; the plans being developed to retain these individuals once their contracts cease, given they will have extensive and intimate knowledge of EU and Irish institutional operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54597/26]
View answerWritten answers
My Department ran a recruitment competition for temporary interns at AO level to work on Ireland's EU Presidency in late 2025. A similar recruitment competition was run by my Department in 2012 seeking temporary staff for the 2013 Presidency.
16 temporary interns were appointed from the 2025 competition and have been assigned to various units with EU Presidency duties within my Department. The contracts for these staff are currently due to end on 31st December 2026 and due to the temporary nature of these appointments these interns are not eligible to apply for internal promotion competitions in my Department. However, they are eligible to apply for any open recruitment competitions within the Civil and Public service and hopefully their experience in working on the EP Presidency would be a benefit to them in such competitions.
A further 2 policy officers at AO level were recruited by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to work in Brussels on Presidency issues related to my Department.
The vast majority of staff in my Department who are working on issues related to Ireland's Presidency of the EU are permanent staff and will bring the benefit of the experience of EU and International issues they gain in this period to the Department and the Civil Service in general.
Climate Action Plan
Questions (374)
Pa Daly
Question:374. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding all actions in each of the Climate Action Plans 2021 to 2025 under the remit of his Department; to provide a breakdown of the legacy actions remaining, broken down by the year of the climate action plan they were initially included in; and the estimated timelines for completion, in tabular form. [54632/26]
View answerWritten answers
My Department is working hard to achieve our shared Climate Action goals.
All actions under the remit of my Department in each of the Climate Action Plans 2021 to 2025 are set out in each of the plans.
Climate Action Plan Progress Reports (www.gov.ie/en/department-of-the-taoiseach/publications/climate-action-plan-progress-reports/) are prepared and published for each Quarter by the Department of the Taoiseach.
My Department continues to work on delivering legacy actions that have carried over. The four legacy actions remaining for my Department are listed below:
|
Action |
Initial CAP |
Estimated Completion |
|
JM/25/4 – Support the restoration and rehabilitation of degraded peatlands |
CAP25 |
Q4 2026 |
|
BE/25/2 - Complete Built Environment and Planning Scoping exercise, led by DHLGH, under National Adaptation Framework (NAF) 2024 |
CAP 25 |
Q4 2026 |
|
BE/25/4 - Publish bill to transpose Energy Performance of Buildings Directive |
CAP 25 |
TBD |
|
EL/24/5 - Develop Revised Wind Energy Development Guidelines for onshore wind |
CAP 24 |
TBD |
State Bodies
Questions (375)
Gillian Toole
Question:375. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which chief executives and directors of services are accountable to him in the event of budget over spending, projects deviating from original scope and the common good not being upheld; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54650/26]
View answerWritten answers
Local authorities are constitutionally recognised, independent statutory bodies with their own democratically elected councils, and robust management and governance structures. Elected members are conferred with a central role in financial oversight and governance within local authorities in the Local Government Acts. The oversight function of the elected council in local authorities is a core principle of democratic accountability and financial governance and the chief executive is fully accountable to the council. Elected councils have extensive powers to request information, issue directions, and oversee the work of the chief executive and their teams.
The local government sector's independent external audit function is managed by the Local Government Audit Service, who audit their accounts, based on best international practice accounting standards. The National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) is another independent oversight body who has a role in overseeing the performance of local authorities and holds detailed scrutiny meetings with the executive teams, recordings of which are published on NOAC's website. In addition to this, local authorities have internal audit functions in place, with independent external chairpersons. Local authorities are also subject to a Code of Governance which requires the Chief Executive to confirm that appropriate internal controls are in place.
As Minister, my role is to ensure a framework of policy and legislation in relation to the local government system, including its structures, human resources, financing and broad oversight, as set out in the provisions of the Local Government Act 2001. Local authorities fulfil their various functions within that framework.
Where my Department is directly funding projects or initiatives undertaken by local authorities, requirements will be set out at the outset and my Department will manage the process with various approval stages in place depending on the type of project.
Local Authorities
Questions (376)
Cormac Devlin
Question:376. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if as part of Budget 2027 he will examine introducing a local improvement scheme for local authorities to access that would fund the power washing of cities and towns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54761/26]
View answerWritten answers
As Minister, I recognise the importance of maintaining clean, safe and attractive public spaces in our cities, towns and villages. Responsibility for street cleaning and public realm maintenance rests in the first instance with local authorities, which receive funding through a variety of sources, including grants from Central Government, Local Property Tax (LPT), commercial rates and other locally-raised charges. Each local authority is mandated to determine its own spending priorities, while having regard to locally identified needs and available resources.
The Local Improvement Scheme, which is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, is a separate programme aimed at supporting improvement works on private and non-publicly maintained roads and laneways, primarily in rural areas. It is not designed to fund public realm maintenance or street-cleaning activities.
My Department does not allocate specific funding for cleaning purposes as outlined in the question as these are operational matters for each individual local authority.
Social Welfare Code
Questions (377)
Ken O'Flynn
Question:377. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he will review the operation of the overlapping payments rules which limit a person in receipt of a State pension to a reduced-rate carer's allowance, notwithstanding that they provide full-time care and attention to a person requiring such care; whether an assessment has been carried out of the financial impact of this policy on pensioners providing full-time care; and whether he will consider allowing payment of the full rate of carer's allowance to eligible pensioners in recognition of their caring responsibilities. [54288/26]
View answerWritten answers
The main income supports to carers provided by my Department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Spending in 2026 is expected to amount to over €2.2 billion on these payments.
In general, a person may only receive one primary social welfare payment at a time to meet a particular contingency. However, in recognition of the vital role of caring, an important exception applies. Where a person is receiving a full-time social welfare payment such as the State Pension and is also providing full-time care for at least 35 hours per week, they may receive up to half the Carer’s Allowance rate in addition to their primary payment. This arrangement applies across almost all weekly social welfare payments.
At the end of 2025, there were 49,234 carers benefiting from these arrangements. Of these, approximately 14,500 were receiving a State Pension (Contributory) or State Pension (Non-contributory).
This means that a person in receipt of Carer’s Allowance who qualifies for the full State Pension (Contributory) on reaching age 66 and retains a half-rate Carer’s Allowance could see their payment increase from €270 a week to a combined pension and carer's payment of €453.30 per week. In terms of financial impact, this represents a weekly increase of up to €183.30.
The Government is committed to supporting carers and the main focus is the process of phasing out the means test, which is well underway. This month, the weekly income disregard increased from €625 to €1,000 for a single person and from €1,250 to €2,000 for carers who are part of couple.
The Programme for Government commitments in relation to carers will continue to be advanced over the lifetime of the Government, having regard to the overall policy and budgetary context.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (378)
Danny Healy-Rae
Question:378. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on a matter relating to social welfare payments (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54363/26]
View answerWritten answers
My Department provides a number of in-work income supports for people on low-incomes or who are engaged in part-time, casual, short-time or seasonal work.
Jobseeker’s Benefit is a social insurance-based income support available to people who are working on a part-time, casual, short-time or seasonal basis, including those whose employment is based around the academic year.
If the person does not meet the PRSI contribution requirements for Jobseeker’s Benefit, they may be entitled to the means-tested Jobseeker’s Allowance scheme. Under the Jobseeker's Allowance means test, the first €20 of earnings per day is disregarded up to a maximum of €60 for three days worked.
Remaining earnings are assessed at 60% so that a person should always see an increase in their overall income when they take up work.
People in receipt of a jobseeker’s payment are required to be available for full-time work and genuinely seeking work. There is a statutory requirement to engage with the Department’s Intreo Employment Services in order to retain the payment.
The Working Family Payment is a tax-free payment available to people in employment who have children. To qualify for Working Family Payment, the average total weekly family income must be below the relevant income threshold and the applicant must also be working, as an employee, for at least 38 hours per fortnight. There is no maximum limit to the number of hours or days a person can work under the Working Family Payment.
More broadly, it is acknowledged that there are limitations to the existing Jobseeker’s Allowance and Working Family Payment schemes, and the Government is progressing work on a proposed Working Age Payment as part of a wider programme of social welfare reform. One of the key objectives of this work is to remove the barriers that might prevent people from taking on additional work, include moving away from the current 4-in-7 rule that requires 3 days of unemployment to claim Jobseeker’s Allowance.
A public consultation on the proposed Working Age Payment and Targeted Child Payment was undertaken by my Department and closed on 12 June. Submissions were received from a wide range of stakeholders including representative bodies, advocacy organisations, service providers and the public. Analysis of these submissions is ongoing and will be used to inform more detailed scheme design.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (379)
Michael Cahill
Question:379. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to urgently review a disability allowance application and take into consideration the additional information (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54399/26]
View answerWritten answers
Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to medical assessment, means test and habitual residency conditions.
I can confirm that my Department received an application for DA from the person concerned on 21 May 2026. Based on the evidence supplied their application for DA was disallowed as the medical qualifying criteria for the scheme was not satisfied.
The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 02 July 2026 and was advised of their right to request a review and/or appeal of this decision.
I can confirm a review/appeal of the decision 02 July 2026 was requested on 07 July 2026 on behalf of the person concerned and Further Medical Evidence documentation was submitted on 10 July 2026.
Following this review, the person concerned has been awarded DA with effect from 27 May 2026. The first payment will be made by their chosen payment method 05 August 2026. Arrears of payment due from 27 May 2026 to 04 August 2026 will issue as soon as possible, once any necessary adjustment is calculated and applied in respect of any overlapping payments (if applicable).
The person concerned was notified of this decision in writing on 15 July 2026.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Legislative Measures
Questions (380)
Séamus McGrath
Question:380. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the legislation to allow public services cards to be accepted as a form of identification when engaging with financial institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54416/26]
View answerWritten answers
Safe registration is the process carried out by my Department to authenticate a person's identity, to a substantial level of assurance. The Public Services Card (PSC) is the token issued to the person on completion of their SAFE registration. Once SAFE registered, it is easier for public service providers to verify the identity of a person accessing in person, or online, public services. It means users are not requested to repeatedly provide documentation to different public bodied to verify their identity.
Currently, it is an offence for any person or organisation other than those specified in social welfare law to request, or accept, a PSC as proof of identity. Under the scheme of the Social Welfare and Other Matters Bill 2026, I am proposing that a PSC holder will be allowed to use their PSC card for identity purposes, at his or her own discretion, in exactly the same way as they can use a driving licence or passport, if they have one. The Bill provides that in instances where a person chooses to use their PSC as a form of identity, the organisation who accepts the card as such proof will no longer be guilty of an offence.
The holder of a PSC may wish to use the card to verify their identity for a purpose outside of the public transaction realm, such as signing up to a utility company contract or opening an account with a financial institution. The changes proposed in the Social Welfare and Other Matters Bill, 2026, aim to assist people in those very situations where they wish to use their PSC for identity purposes.
One of the benefits of the PSC is that it is free of charge, compared to other State produced documents used for identity purposes. There is a cost incurred in getting or renewing a passport or driving licence.
Importantly, the legislation which restricts the bodies or organisations who can request a PSC from an individual is not being changed. This means that it remains the case that only those bodies or organisations specified in social welfare law may request a PSC. That safeguard continues in place.
The General Scheme of the Social Welfare and other Matters Bill 2026 was referred to the Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development for Pre-Legislative Scrutiny in April 2026, and published on the gov.ie website. I will shortly be seeking Government approval to publish, with the intention of progressing the Bill through the Oireachtas early in the Autumn 2026 session.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (381)
Ruth Coppinger
Question:381. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on a jobseeker’s allowance claim (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54430/26]
View answerWritten answers
The person concerned applied for Jobseeker’s Allowance on 26 June 2026. Additional information was required to verify eligibility for the scheme.
The completed forms were returned on 9 July 2026. The Jobseeker’s Allowance application was processed on 14 July 2026 and a decision to award the claim was made.
A decision letter has issued to the person concerned advising them of their entitlement, payment details and signing arrangements.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
State Pensions
Questions (382)
Séamus McGrath
Question:382. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection to address the policy anomaly whereby someone with less working years can receive a higher rate of State pension due to the yearly average approach (details supplied). [54458/26]
View answerWritten answers
A yearly average method of calculating contributory pension payment rates has been used since the introduction of the contributory old age pension (now State pension (contributory)) in 1961. The yearly average is calculated by dividing the total number of contributions accumulated during a person’s lifetime by the number of years since they made their first reckonable contribution.
The main anomaly within the yearly average calculation is that it is possible for people to start paying social insurance later in their working life and yet qualify for a pension at maximum rate. Entitlement to a full pension could in some cases be achieved from as little as 10 years of social insurance contributions.
Anomalies occur as their yearly average is calculated over a person’s entire ‘working life’ (i.e. their date of first social insurance paid to the end of the year before they draw down their pension).
A number of reports on the sustainability of the State pension system and pension eligibility endorsed the replacement of the yearly average system with a ‘Total Contributions Approach’ (TCA). This makes the rate of pension directly proportionate to the number of social insurance contributions made by a person over their working life, with significant pension credits granted to people who have taken time out of the workplace to perform caring duties.
Following on from the National Pensions Framework (2010), an interim TCA was introduced in 2018 that allowed all those who reached State pension age from September 2012 to be assessed under both the existing yearly average method and the new TCA method, with the person receiving the better of the two rates.
In 2021, the Pensions Commission, tasked with determining the sustainability of the State pension system into the future, set out a wide range of recommendations to address future sustainability - including full transition to the TCA model and phasing out the yearly average. Arising from this, a number of State pension reforms were enacted in the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023, representing the biggest ever structural reform of the Irish State pension system.
Among these reforms, the 2023 Act introduced a ten-year phased transition from the yearly average calculation of State pension (contributory) to TCA as the sole method of calculation. The ten-year transitional arrangements are to avoid a ‘cliff edge’ effect. The first year of phasing-out began in January 2025. From 2034 the yearly average method of calculation will no longer be used, and all State pension (contributory) calculations will be done using the TCA method.
TCA is a fairer method of calculating the contributory pension. The year a person commenced paying social insurance contributions will no longer be a key determining factor for calculating pension entitlement. Instead, the totality of social insurance contributions paid and credited will simply be added together. This is an equitable approach as pension outcomes are more in line with the total number of contributions paid and credited. The principle of higher contributory entitlements for those who contribute more frequently into the social insurance fund is central to contributory pensions around the world.
The person concerned applied for State Pension (contributory) on 16 September 2025 ahead of reaching pension age on 13 March 2026. A decision letter issued to them on 18 September 2025 awarding pension of €259.80 (€268.80 2026 rate) per week based on their contribution record. This was reviewed to include additional contributions for 2025. A review outcome letter issued on 14 July 2026 advising of the award of an increased rate using the TCA method of calculation. The person concerned has now been awarded 90.7% of the maximum rate of pension or €271.60 per week from their 66th birthday. This rate will be further reviewed once their 2026 record has been finalised and a further review outcome letter will issue in due course.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Benefits
Questions (383)
Seán Ó Fearghaíl
Question:383. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider the issues raised in correspondence (details supplied) from a self-employed individual who has experienced a sudden and substantial loss of business income and is now experiencing difficulty in meeting mortgage repayments, utility bills and other essential living expenses; the supports available in such circumstances; whether additional measures are available in cases of temporary financial hardship where the individual intends to continue operating their business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54464/26]
View answerWritten answers
My department delivers a range of social welfare payments which can assist a person at a time of hardship. Following your representation, the person concerned was contacted to discuss their circumstances and income support options. The option of applying for a Jobseeker’s payment was outlined to the person; however, they indicated that they did not wish to pursue a claim for this scheme.
The Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme which is the safety net within the overall social welfare system, helps eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents. Similar to Jobseekers Allowance, SWA is a means tested payment and if the person has financial resources from any income source, including self-employment, to meet the need, it would be expected that they would provide for the need from that source.
Under the SWA scheme, my department may also make an Additional Needs Payment (ANP) to help meet essential expenditure which an eligible person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income or household and personal resources. This support is intended to assist with once-off or exceptional expenses that a person is unable to meet from their normal weekly income. ANPs are administered by Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) in the Community Welfare Service (CWS), considering the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case. All applications are considered on a case-by-case basis based on the need presenting.
The specific purpose of an ANP is to assist with immediate and essential expenses in situations of exceptional or urgent need. It is only intended to provide once-off short-term assistance where no other options are available. The ANP does not cover non-essential household or personal expenses, or costs that are the responsibility of another government department or agency.
To date, no application for an ANP has been received from the person concerned. It is open to them to make an application for assistance by completing a SWA1 form and providing all necessary supporting documentation. This form is available in all Intreo Centres and Branch Offices and can also be requested by calling the National CWS freephone line at 0818 60 70 80 or at www.eforms.gov.ie/en/forms/5. Alternatively, if they have verified MyGovID account they can apply for an ANP at www.MyWelfare.ie.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
School Meals Programme
Questions (384)
Cathal Crowe
Question:384. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of school children who will be in receipt of hot meals from the start of the next school year, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54503/26]
View answerWritten answers
Schools apply annually for School Meals funding. All 3,200 primary schools and 550,000 children are eligible for the Hot School Meals Programme since September 2025. The Hot School Meals Programme is not mandatory.
Schools submit their application for funding after they have procured their school meal supplier. The Schools Procurement Unit under the Department of Education and Youth, provides guidance to schools for all procurements including the School Meals Programme.
The 2026/2027 academic year starts at the end of August/beginning of September 2026. In the main applications for funding are received from September to December.
The statistics below are for the 2025/26 academic year, of schools who availed of the Hot School Meals Programme. 203 of these schools opted for the cold lunch.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (385)
Paul McAuliffe
Question:385. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people in receipt of the contributory and non-contributory pension who are in receipt of living allowance but do not receive fuel allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54509/26]
View answerWritten answers
For June 2026, there are 101,486 recipients of the State Pension Non-Contributory and 572,352 recipients of the State Pension Contributory. This results in a total 673,838 pension recipients. Of these 151,214 receive the Living Alone Allowance as of June 2026, while 188,535 received Fuel Allowance over the Fuel Allowance season. Of the 151,214 Living Alone Allowance recipients, 59,160 did not receive Fuel Allowance over the last Fuel Allowance season.
The two payments are awarded based on different criteria. Fuel Allowance is a means-tested payment to assist pensioners and other long-term social welfare dependent householders with their winter heating costs. Living Alone Allowance payment is a continuous weekly non-means tested payment based on household structure to compensate for the additional living costs of people living alone.
Departmental Staff
Questions (386)
Donna McGettigan
Question:386. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff involved in the issuing or refusal of carer's allowance and disability allowance that have medical qualifications; the level of qualifications required for the positions; the ratio of medically qualified staff to non-medically qualified staff; if there are none, the way in which medically based decisions which contradict the applicants doctor are arrived at; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54522/26]
View answerWritten answers
My Department’s Medical Advisory Service consists of a Chief Medical Adviser, a Deputy Chief Medical Adviser, and a team of 37 Medical Assessors.
All Medical Assessors are fully qualified medical practitioners registered with the Irish Medical Council. Many hold postgraduate qualifications and have significant clinical experience and specialist training. In addition, all Medical Assessors receive comprehensive training on the Department’s medical schemes and assessment processes.
The role of the Medical Assessor is to provide an independent medical opinion on an applicant’s medical eligibility, thereby assisting Deciding Officers in determining entitlement under the Department’s schemes. Medical Assessors do not dispute or challenge diagnoses provided by an applicant’s treating doctor. Rather, they consider all the medical evidence submitted and assess, as appropriate, the applicant’s capacity for work or their need for full-time care and attention in accordance with the legislative criteria of the relevant scheme.
When conducting assessments for schemes such as Carer’s Allowance and Disability Allowance, Medical Assessors consider all available medical evidence, including reports from the applicant’s GP, hospital consultants, and other healthcare professionals. They also consider the applicant’s own description of how their condition affects their health, daily functioning, or, in the case of Carer’s Allowance, the level of care required.
This information is evaluated against the qualifying conditions of the scheme in question. Consideration is given to the nature and severity of the condition(s), the likely prognosis, the expected duration of the condition(s), and any treatment received or planned interventions. The overall assessment of these factors informs the Medical Assessor’s opinion regarding an applicant’s capacity for work or the level and expected duration of care required.
Where an application for Carer’s Allowance or Disability Allowance is disallowed by a Deciding Officer on medical grounds, a copy of the Medical Assessor’s opinion is issued to the applicant with the decision letter. If additional medical evidence subsequently becomes available that was not considered when the original decision was made, the applicant may request a review of the decision based on this new information. Applicants who remain dissatisfied with decisions made by a Deciding Officer also have the right to lodge an appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
EU Presidency
Questions (387)
Robert O'Donoghue
Question:387. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of EU Presidency policy and administrative officers now employed on temporary contracts across his Department, in Ireland and abroad; if these individuals can apply to internal civil service competitions for these temporary contracts; the plans being developed to retain these individuals once their contracts cease, given they will have extensive and intimate knowledge of EU and Irish institutional operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54601/26]
View answerWritten answers
My Department has not employed any EU Presidency Policy and Administrative officers on temporary contracts in Ireland.
In the Permanent Representation in Brussels, an additional Presidency Policy Officer and Administrative are employed, on fixed term contracts for the duration of the Presidency, to provide support to the Department of Social Protection's EU team, given the additional work associated with Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the EU between now and the end of 2026. These temporary staff are employed by the Department of Foreign Affairs, with costs paid by the DSP vote. It is not envisaged that my Department will continue to require this additional policy or administrative support in the Permanent Representation, post the Presidency.
Open recruitment competitions organised by Public Jobs provide opportunities for careers in the public and civil service and should be of particular interest to those who are currently in these temporary posts but who wish to pursue a career in the public or civil service.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
Climate Action Plan
Questions (388)
Pa Daly
Question:388. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding all actions in each of the Climate Action Plans 2021 to 2025 under the remit of his Department; to provide a breakdown of the legacy actions remaining, broken down by the year of the climate action plan they were initially included in; and the estimated timelines for completion, in tabular form. [54636/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Climate Action Plans 2021 to 2025 are whole-of-government plans, and their delivery is tracked by the Department of the Taoiseach which prepares quarterly progress reports.
Once approved by Government, progress reports are published online. These reports, as well as detailed tables of actions completed are available online at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/55fde-climate-action-important-publications/.
My Department continues to engage with the Climate Action Plan process and to progress actions assigned to it under the Climate Action Plans, as well as through the implementation of its Climate Action Roadmap.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (389)
Colm Burke
Question:389. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a person’s (details supplied) application for fuel allowance; when a decision is likely to be reached on this matter; if consideration will be given to awarding this allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54667/26]
View answerWritten answers
An application for fuel allowance was received from the person concerned on 3 July 2026. A letter issued to them on 14 July 2026 seeking more information to assist with the means test. Once this information has been returned, a decision letter will issue to them.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
EU Directives
Questions (390)
Rose Conway-Walsh
Question:390. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the implications for Ireland’s national security from failing to implement the EU Network and Information Security (NIS) 2 Directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54126/26]
View answerWritten answers
Work is close to finalisation on the drafting of the National Cyber Security Bill, which will transpose the NIS2 Directive and establish Ireland’s National Cyber Security Centre on a statutory basis, with a view to its publication in the autumn. The Bill will then commence its passage through the Houses of the Oireachtas. While there have been significant complexities in transposing this Directive into Irish law, considerable implementation milestones have been completed to date including :
• The launch of a National Competent Authority (NCA) Forum, led by our National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in 2024
• The development and publication of a NIS2 Risk Management Measures guidance booklet
• Ireland becoming a co-owner of the Cyber Fundamentals Framework (CyFun) which provides a structured, risk-based approach for essential and important entities to help them organise and evidence their NIS2 security measures
The NIS2 Directive is a revision of the Network and Information Security Directive (EU) 2016/1148 (NIS Directive), which is currently in force in the State via S.I. 360 of 2018. Until the NIS2 Directive is transposed and enacted, the NIS Directive will remain in full effect, covering the most critical operators of essential services and digital service providers in the State.
Additionally, work is at an advanced stage in my department on the preparation of Ireland's third National Cyber Security Strategy, a draft of which was published recently for public consultation. On completion, this will fulfil a requirement under the NIS2 Directive.
An Garda Síochána
Questions (391)
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:391. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of seizures recorded by An Garda Síochána of products containing hexahydrocannabinol, including vapes, since the ban on the sale of such products in July 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53761/26]
View answerWritten answers
Enforcement of legislation for products containing hexahydrocannabinol, including vapes, rests between a number of agencies.
An Garda Síochána have a number of national and local operations that target the illicit drug trade and the Revenue Commissioners have responsibility for the prevention, detection, interception and seizure of controlled drugs and other prohibited or restricted goods.
An Garda Síochána's overarching anti-drug activities come under the umbrella of Operation Tara. Operation Tara aims to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute drug trafficking networks, at all levels – international, national and local – involved in the sale and supply of illegal drugs. Under Operation Tara, individuals and groups involved in the drug trade are the target of enforcement activity based on intelligence and the latest crime trends.
I am informed by the Garda Authorities that information on drug types is not available until they have been analysed by Forensic Science Ireland (FSI). Drug volumes, following FSI analysis, are provided as part of the Commissioner’s Annual Report. The Annual Report for 2025 can be found using the following link:
www.garda.ie/en/about-us/publications/annual%20reports/an-garda-siochana-annual-reports/
Forensic Science Ireland also publish details of drug seizures in their annual reports at the following link: www.forensicscience.ie/corporate-services/annual-reports/ .
Language Schools
Questions (392, 393, 394)
Barry Ward
Question:392. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the actions he is taking to ensure that all English language schools are adhering to their legal requirements including visa applications, student enrolments & attendance requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54289/26]
View answerBarry Ward
Question:393. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the position regarding the mechanisms and inspection protocols in place to ensure that that all English language schools are adhering to their legal requirements including visa applications, student enrolments and attendance requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54290/26]
View answerBarry Ward
Question:394. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the position regarding the repercussions for an English language school that is found not to be adhering to their legal requirements including visa applications, student enrolments and attendance requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54291/26]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 392, 393 and 394 together.
English language schools in Ireland operate under the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP), introduced in 2015, which is a restrictive list of full time education programmes eligible for international student visas and stamp 2 immigration permissions.
ILEP is currently being superseded by TrustEd Ireland, the international education mark launched in September 2024 by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS). TrustEd Ireland is a new statutory quality mark and part of a suite of legislative measures designed to further protect international learners.
The new mark will be awarded to higher education and English language education providers who have demonstrated that they meet national standards to ensure a quality experience for international learners from pre-enrolment through to the completion of their programme of education and training.
Once the ILEP is discontinued, only education providers which are granted authorisation to use the TrustEd Ireland mark provided by QQI will be eligible to recruit non-EU/EEA students to English language programmes, foundation programmes and higher education programmes leading to awards within the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).
Providers must remain in compliance with the relevant criteria to retain a listing on the ILEP. My Department monitors compliance and any education provider may be subject to unannounced inspections, on-line monitoring, or random spot checks to ensure its compliance with ILEP criteria, and this includes the maintenance of records and reports. These may be requested by my Department at any time and failure to do so can result in the removal of a provider from the ILEP.
Once a provider is listed on the ILEP, they are required to notify my Department of matters such as, but not limited to, any changes to the ownership of the school, change in locations or additional centres, changes to their academic management or teachers, and student capacity numbers.
All ILEP listed English language schools are required to submit information on a weekly basis and includes data on enrolments, attendance rates and expulsions.
I can assure the Deputy that there has been a high level of compliance regarding data provision for immigration compliance purposes. All schools are aware of the consequences of non-compliance, and that failure to adhere with ILEP criteria may result in removal from the list. The ILEP Committee, comprising of officials from both my Department and DFHERIS, has recently removed a number of providers from the ILEP as a result of information obtained during these compliance checks.
Question No. 393 answered with Question No. 392.
Question No. 394 answered with Question No. 392.
Immigration Policy
Questions (395)
Malcolm Byrne
Question:395. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the restrictions that may be placed on individuals from west Asia who have allegedly been engaged in war crimes or terrorist activity from entering the State; and the actions that may be taken if they are found in the State. [54309/26]
View answerWritten answers
I understand the Deputy has clarified that by West Asia he is specifically referring to Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Iran.
As the Deputy is aware, Ireland implements UN and EU Sanctions, under which a large number of individuals are subject to travel bans under a range of sanctions regimes. A consolidated list of those subject to travel bans under EU sanctions regimes is maintained and updated at EU level, and is incorporated into border management and visa procedures nationally.When any non-EEA national presents at a border, an Immigration Officer must determine whether that person should be granted leave to land and gain entry to the State. In performing their duties, an Officer is required to consider all of the circumstances of the individual at the time of entry in line with the provisions of the Immigration Act 2004.