Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions – Dáil Éireann (34th Dáil) – Thursday, 15 Jan 2026

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions

Energy Prices

Louise O'Reilly

Ceist:

1. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection to quantify the material impact of the withdrawal of energy credits and the decrease in the real value of the fuel allowance has had on the at risk of poverty after housing costs rate and on the material deprivation rate, specifically in households at highest risk of poverty; if he has given consideration to a cost of living package targeting energy poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2822/26]

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

In keeping with my form, the question is fairly straightforward. I am curious to know whether the Minister has quantified the material impact of the withdrawal of energy credits. In real terms, the value of the fuel allowance has decreased because of the increase in energy prices. That is simple maths; the Minister will know that. Has he quantified, for his own information, the actual impact and lived reality for people?

Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Dara Calleary)

The Government is committed to protecting vulnerable households from the impact of energy costs through a combination of financial supports, energy efficiency, awareness initiatives and investment in programmes to improve the energy efficiency of the housing stock. The overall strategy to combat fuel poverty and energy poverty is under the remit of the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment. However, the supports provided by the Government are cross-departmental and, in this regard, my Department is represented on the energy poverty action group and the energy affordability task force.

In budget 2026, the Government committed €8.1 billion in additional spending, including over €1.15 billion in additional social welfare spending. As part of that budget, I was delighted, last October, to announce that from 1 January, the weekly rate of fuel allowance would increase by €5 per week to €38. That is a 15% increase, which will support over 460,000 households requiring Government support with energy costs. Importantly, from a child poverty perspective, I have also extended eligibility for fuel allowance to an additional 43,000 families in receipt of the working family payment. These increases are on top of a €10 per week increase in the core payment rates, which are 4.1% for most schemes.

Over 330,000 children will benefit from the largest ever increase in the child support payment of between 16% and 26% per week, which will be €8 per week for children under 12 and €16 per week for children aged 12 and over. Some 35,000 families will benefit from an extension of the back to school clothing and footwear allowance. In addition, almost 49,000 recipients and over 100,000 children will benefit from an increase to working family payment income thresholds of €60 per week.

Due to the measures taken by the Government in recent years, recent CSO data show a welcome reduction in enforced deprivation rates in 2025, including in relation to energy. We continue to monitor the cost-of-living situation carefully. However, given the additional supports provided by the Government as part of budget 2026, which are permanent, not temporary, supports, a cost-of-living package targeting energy poverty is not being considered at this particular time.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

That is very regrettable. As the Minister very well knows, Social Justice Ireland described the Government's most recent budget as a recipe for austerity. It was made clear to the Government at that stage, not just by me and Social Justice Ireland but by others, that the value of the fuel allowance needed to increase in line with the cost of energy. We know that we pay, for reasons that are entirely of the Government's making, some of the highest energy costs in the European Union. We do not have some of the highest energy supports, however, in the European Union.

There are 300,000 households in arrears at the moment. The policy of no disconnection during winter is very welcome but it does not take account of people on prepay meters who experience a "micro-disconnection". I asked whether the Minister had quantified the material impact of the fact that children are going to bed hungry and people with disabilities, as they told us yesterday in the audiovisual room, have to make the choice between being able to heat their homes and power their mobility devices or being able to eat. Those are the questions I want to ask. Has the actual impact been quantified?

Deputy Dara Calleary

We are very focused on energy poverty. That is why the fuel allowance increase is 15%, which supports over 460,000 households that require most support with energy costs. This is the first year the fuel allowance has been expanded to working families. Those on the working family payment will get a back payment in March of their fuel allowance backdated to 1 January. That will bring an additional 50,000 people in.

As I said, we have also looked at other areas that directly impact on families, particularly children. That is why the record increases in child support payment are important. They give permanent increases in income to families on the lowest of incomes. This is the first time the fuel allowance has gone beyond a welfare payment to people who are on the working family payment. That is where I want to go. I want to make permanent increases that are not year to year or dependent on budgetary situations and have them as part of it. We work with our colleagues in the Department of the environment on other fuel poverty initiatives, including retrofitting and guidance, so we can reduce permanently the cost of energy bills as opposed to making temporary changes.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

Any changes, temporary or otherwise, might be welcome, but the withdrawal of energy credits is causing real and genuine hardship for people. I see it in my clinics. I am sure the Minister does as well. He mentioned the energy affordability task force, but that is only a continuation of the other task force. It is a little bit "Father Ted" - is there anything to be said for another mass - that there is another task force or group. In truth, the number of people who are in energy poverty and in arrears with their energy bills is going up. It is going up simply because the supports that are there are not keeping pace.

We know that the energy credits made a real and material difference in people's lives and to the number of people who were in arrears. The withdrawal of those credits has pushed people into arrears. These are bills they will have to pay at some point. While those who are not on prepay meters might not be disconnected, they will still have to find the money to pay for those. It is very clear that the increased supports that were given are not adequate. They do not keep pace with inflation and they certainly do not keep pace with the rising cost of energy.

Deputy Dara Calleary

The increase in the fuel allowance is 15%. That is a permanent increase; it will not be from year to year. We expanded fuel allowance to the 50,000 families who are on the working family payment. Again, that is a permanent increase and a fundamental change to the fuel allowance payment.

We are absolutely focused on energy poverty. We are working with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, to address the issues that cause energy poverty. We will continue to do that, but we have also addressed a lot of the areas causing family and child poverty by looking at the child support payment and giving record increases, particularly for those over the age of 12. The fuel allowance for 2026 is a €486 million investment in families across the country. It is a total of €1,064 a year for those who are on the fuel allowance. A sum of €486 million from my Department is a very significant measure. As I said, this is the first time it has been expanded. I will certainly have an eye to the fuel allowance, as my response from the Department to energy poverty.

Social Welfare Payments

Seamus Healy

Ceist:

2. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to introduce, as promised, a weekly cost-of-disability payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3197/26]

Deputy Seamus Healy

People with disabilities and their families incur considerably more expense to survive on a weekly basis, due to their disability. While the Government promised a weekly cost-of-disability payment, it reneged on that promise or, at least, it has not introduced that payment. When will that payment be introduced? Will the Minister make a statement on the matter?

Deputy Dara Calleary

The Department of Social Protection provides a range of income support payments for disabled people. There are currently 231,000 recipients of disability income support payments, with an estimated expenditure of €3.24 billion in 2025.

The Government recognises the many additional costs that disabled people face in their daily lives; I agree with the Deputy on that issue. We are committed to improving outcomes by introducing permanent measures to help address those costs. That is why the programme for Government includes a range of commitments to support disabled people. These commitments have been further developed in the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030. The strategy adopts a whole-of-government approach, with individual Departments and agencies responsible for planning and delivering the commitments that come under their remit across five pillars. The commitment to introduce a permanent annual cost-of-disability support payment sits within this framework as a matter on which my Department is taking the lead. Subject to the overall budgetary context, I am determined to include that payment as part of budget 2027.

Importantly, the strategy requires that delivery of the various commitments be informed by and include the active input of disabled people and their advocates. My Department is leading a strategic focus network on the cost of disability with other relevant Departments and agencies. The work of this network, which includes disabled people and their advocates, will inform the approach to be taken in addressing the cost of disability. Officials have already held bilateral meetings with a number of organisations to discuss the structure and content of the strategic focus network. The matter was also discussed at my Department's disability consultative forum on 2 December. A meeting with the Disabled Persons Organisations Network is being organised. It is currently scheduled to take place next Friday, 23 January. I will make further announcements about consultations in relation to the payment.

Deputy Seamus Healy

People with disabilities are entitled to live with dignity, security and equal opportunity. Unfortunately, reports show that disabled individuals are four times more likely to live in poverty. In fact, one in five disabled people who are unable to work live in consistent poverty. Two in five experience enforced deprivation and are unable to afford essentials like heating, new clothes or social contact. These individuals and their families have substantial additional costs over other individuals and families, for instance, therapy, mobility, communications, medical supplies, specialised transport and heating costs. Research shows there is widespread acceptance of this and that these additional costs range from €488 per week to €555 per week. Many disabled people have to regularly make the choice between charging their wheelchair or heating their home. The Disability Federation of Ireland recommended a non-taxable weekly payment of €55 in its budget submission.

This is a very wealthy country and this is a group of people who are in a particularly difficult situation.

I urge the Minister to introduce this payment. I understand he is considering that for 2027, but some people need it urgently.

Deputy Dara Calleary

I agree about the complexity of the costs facing people with disabilities. We are anxious to capture all those to make this a permanent cost, and one that reflects what they want in it. We will engage with all of the organisations, including the Disability Federation of Ireland, about that. In budget 2026 we have already taken measures, including a €10 increase in the weekly rate of payment, which brings the personal rates of payment to €254; a €20 per month increase in the rate of domiciliary care allowance, which brings that rate to €380 per month from this month; and the highest ever increases in child support payment, at €16 for children aged 12 and over, which brings the rate to €78, and €8 for children under 12, which brings that rate to €58. In budget 2026, we also allocated €3.8 billion to the Department of Children, Disability and Equality for disability services. This is being invested in services to make sure the day-to-day experience of people is dealt with. I am determined to pursue a cost-of-disability payment and I look forward to engaging with the committee about what it should look like, who should get it and how it should be paid. There are different models and interpretations, and I want active and constructive discussion with every member of the committee and every party. We all want to do this, but it is how we do it. I want to make sure that we have the voices of people with disabilities and their advocates in the discussion.

Deputy Seamus Healy

This is an urgent situation. It cannot wait 12 or 18 months or whatever period the Department and Minister have in mind. It is urgent and needs to be dealt with now. This Government talks about targeted measures. This is surely the most targeted measure it could devise. It is a one that deals directly with the poverty being experienced by disabled people. If it is not the Minister's intention to introduce this payment immediately and urgently, surely he will consider announcing an immediate once-off payment for this group of people who are experiencing poverty. Many of them are in the 300,000 households in arrears with their electricity bills and the 170,000 people in arrears with their gas bills. They need assistance urgently. I ask that the Minister introduce a once-off payment of at least €400 immediately.

An Cathaoirleach Gníomhach (Deputy John Paul O'Shea)

Deputy Hayes wishes to ask a supplementary question.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

Supplementary questions may not be asked on a priority question.

An Cathaoirleach Gníomhach (Deputy John Paul O'Shea)

I apologise.

Deputy Eoin Hayes

That is fine.

An Cathaoirleach Gníomhach (Deputy John Paul O'Shea)

I am learning something new every day.

Deputy Dara Calleary

Every day is a school day. We appreciate the pressures that every family is under. That is why we introduced permanent increases in budget 2026, which took effect from 1 January. The €10 increase in the weekly rate of payment brings to €51 the increase in the weekly disability income support payment since budget 2021. There are the highest ever increases in child support payment and a €20 per month increase in domiciliary care allowance. We have also made changes that allow those being paid disability allowance who take up work to retain the fuel allowance payment for five years. We have made changes to the wage subsidy scheme to encourage employers to give more employment. I am focused on making real and permanent changes. The one-off payments are not financially sustainable. I want to ensure we have in the system a permanent payment that most importantly reflects the views of those with disabilities in terms of how it is designed and paid.

Pension Provisions

Louise O'Reilly

Ceist:

3. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the roll-out of auto-enrolment; specifically for an update on his engagement with other Departments as regards the roll-out of auto-enrolment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2823/26]

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

This again is a straightforward question. I am interested in the numbers of people who have been signed up for auto-enrolment, and also any engagements the Department or Minister may have had with agencies. I submitted this question because I was contacted by senior managers in funded agencies who had a concern that their funding was not increased but their obligation had increased. One of them cheekily said I could ask that if they had to make a choice between services and pension, where the Minister would want them to make that cut.

Deputy Dara Calleary

As the Deputy knows, we introduced the automatic enrolment system from 1 January. The aim of introducing auto-enrolment is to address the pension coverage gap that exists in Ireland and to provide workers with access to a quality-assured retirement savings scheme, thereby giving greater comfort and security regarding their retirement income. My Future Fund commenced on 1 January. More than 763,000 employees who were not actively contributing to a qualifying pension or PRSA through payroll were eligible. They have been automatically enrolled in My Future Fund. I will have an up-to-date figure for the Deputy shortly. As of my most recent check, on Monday, 92% of employers had registered. I will get the employee figure for the Deputy. It has been a very good response from employers and employees to date.

The collection of employer and employee contributions has now commenced and is operating in line with the design and build of the system. The contributions are being topped up by the State and transferred to investment management providers for investment. Portals are available to employers and will be available to employees in the coming fortnight to access a range of services and to check on their accounts. This positive start is reflective of the massive effort made by my Department and other stakeholders, including payroll providers and employers, in advance of the launch of My Future Fund.

My Department has worked across a range of Government Departments and agencies through the Cabinet committee structure and bilateral engagements. The Deputy has raised this issue with me on many occasions and I, in turn, have raised it across Departments, including the Department of Finance in relation to taxation and the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and with the Revenue Commissioners and Attorney General. Officials in my Department have raised with officials in every other Department the responsibilities of agencies under auto-enrolment. We cannot dictate the budget allocations for other Departments, but I assure the Deputy I have been consistent in raising the matter with ministerial colleagues. It has been raised at Secretary General level with regard to the responsibilities of auto-enrolment and we will continue to engage with Departments on the funding responsibilities.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

The Minister deftly avoided answering that question. If the choice for the chief executive is that he has to put money into the pension or cut back on services, what decision does the Minister want him to make? Between 70,000 and 80,000 people are currently not covered, but the 92% figure is certainly evidence that people have heard about auto-enrolment and are signing up. I still have a concern because I know this happened previously. I welcome that the Minister has had engagements across Departments, but I ask him to redouble his efforts to ensure that at accounting time at the end of year, there is not going to be an unfortunate cliff for people. There is genuine concern. To be clear, I do not often stand up for management in here but the senior people in funded organisations who came to me want their workers to be in a pension scheme. They also want to be able to provide the services, and a lot of them said they had difficulty with Departments. I welcome that the Minister is engaging. I ask him to have another round of engagements.

Deputy Dara Calleary

Obviously, I do not want any CEO to be in that position. We will continue to engage with the Departments. I have the up-to-date figures. As of 12 January, 94,062 employers were registered and 700,256 employees were registered. The total amount collected to date since 1 January is €14.47 million. The contact centre, which has been open since 1 December, has taken 4,620 calls and 3,748 online chats. Some 57% of those are from employers, 21% from participants and 15% from agents. The contact centre is continuing to engage, and I think that will continue. I will certainly be engaging with ministerial colleagues with regard to funded agencies. I will continue to pursue this issue and keep the Deputy up to speed on my work.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

I record my concern with regard to Tata Consultancy Services.

I have put this on the record previously. I am not massively impressed with the Minister’s defence of the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund - that if it is good enough for Norway, it should be good enough for us. We should paddle our own canoe on this and the Minister should do his own research. I do not think the State should be doing business with companies that have a significant presence in the occupied territories, and I do not think the Minister does either.

The Minister said he will continue his engagement and I welcome that. I undertake to forward to him any concerns brought to my attention because I, like him, want to make sure people are catered for in their retirement. I would prefer that money to be managed by the National Treasury Management Agency, NTMA, and invested in other ways, but the decision was taken and we need to deal with the reality. I will keep in touch with the Minister as people get in touch with me.

Deputy Dara Calleary

We want to continue that engagement. In relation to Tata Consultancy Services, TCS, I have done more research since the Deputy and I last engaged on this. TCS is not included on any UN or EU database of companies that are involved in specific activities related to Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. Specifically, the UN, pursuant to Resolutions 31/36 and 53/25, produces a list of enterprises involved in specific activities related to Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. TCS does not feature on this list, which, to my knowledge, was last updated in September 2025. I acknowledge that TCS Ireland, based in Letterkenny, employs more than 1,400 people and has been an extraordinarily strong partner in the roll-out of My Future Fund to date.

As I said to Deputy O’Reilly at the committee, inevitably in a project of this complexity there will be glitches. We want to address those as quickly as possible and if Deputies or Senators encounter any, they should raise them with us and we will seek to address them. Auto-enrolment is a complete change and it will be reflected in a massive change in the country's pension and post-retirement savings landscape.

Question No. 4 taken with Written Answers.

Disability Issues

Catherine Ardagh

Ceist:

5. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Social Protection his Department’s initiatives to assist persons with disabilities in accessing and sustaining employment, including any specific supports or schemes currently in place, plans for future measures to promote workforce participation, and the timeframe for implementation of these initiatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2946/26]

Deputy Catherine Ardagh

What initiatives and plans are in place to support people with disabilities to access and sustain employment? I wish to highlight what works in practice and what is at risk if we do not protect those pathways. This is a social protection issue. In my constituency, Scoil Eoin, a school for children with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities, has a post-leaving certificate employment rate of 95%. This compares to the national average employment rate of young adults with intellectual disabilities of 30%. What is happening in Scoil Eoin works. Unfortunately, the school's designation is under threat. This means it will not be allowed to focus on children with mild to moderate learning disabilities. I am concerned this change in designation will impact the Department of Social Protection’s pipeline, the people attending its services, the future viability of employment services and the success of disability services.

Deputy Dara Calleary

I thank Deputy Ardagh for the question. I will address the general issue first. My Department is committed to supporting disabled people into employment and offers a range of employment supports to achieve this. My Department's Intreo service is a single point of contact for all employment supports in the State. Disabled people can make an appointment to meet with a designated disability employment personal adviser to discuss employment and training options, including schemes such as community employment, Tús and referral to the employability service.

Work and access is a scheme that offers seven supports that address barriers to the workplace for disabled people and make it more accessible. Funding is available for communication supports and workplace adaptations, as well as disability, equality and inclusion training. The wage subsidy scheme supports employers to hire disabled people in meaningful and sustained employment through a subsidy. Budget 2026 has provided for a further expansion in eligibility and an increase in the subsidy rates.

In December 2023, my Department established the WorkAbility programme. WorkAbility is co-financed with the EU employment, inclusion, skills and training programme. This programme aims to support 13,000 disabled people progress their training and employment ambitions through 57 local, regional and national projects over its five-year lifetime. Recipients of disability allowance and blind pension can take up employment and may continue to receive their income support. They can currently earn up to €165 per week and keep their payment in full, or earn up to €527.60 and keep a portion of their payment while keeping their secondary benefits.

Budget 2026 provided for people who move from disability allowance or blind pension into employment to be able to retain their fuel allowance payment for up to five years. In addition, people with dependent children who move off either of these payments and into employment will now be eligible for the back to work family dividend.

The programme for Government commits to expanding successful programmes like WorkAbility and work and access. This commitment is echoed in the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, for which my Department, alongside the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, leads the employment pillar. We will advance those commitments over the lifetime of the Government.

I will liaise with the Deputy in relation to Scoil Eoin. The figures cited seem very impressive and I am anxious that this continue. Schools generally do not come under the Department of Social Protection but I will engage with the Deputy on the matter.

Deputy Catherine Ardagh

While I understand this is an education issue, when dealing with employment for people with disabilities we have to take a whole-of-government approach. I thank the Minister for his detailed and constructive reply and acknowledge the significant work led by his Department. The range of supports he outlined and the work and access, wage subsidy and WorkAbility schemes demonstrate his continued commitment to supporting people with disabilities in employment. I welcome in particular the measures he announced in budget 2026, especially the practical supports which allow people to take up work while retaining key secondary benefits. This kind of flexibility is what helps people sustain employment.

I will pivot back to Scoil Eoin because while it is in the education area, it relates to the pipeline of the Department of Social Protection. When these people stay in employment there is less reliance on the Department. A whole-of-government approach is, therefore, needed. I ask that the Minister ask the Minister for education not to redesignate Scoil Eoin as a special school and to keep it as a school for mild to moderate disabilities. Parents and children like choice and this school works as regards people with intellectual disabilities staying in employment.

Deputy Dara Calleary

I will engage with the Minister, Deputy Naughton, in relation to Scoil Eoin and its designation. We want to continue to raise the profile of people with intellectual disabilities in employment throughout 2026. During the course of the year, we will have a specific range of training and work events for employers, offering opportunities for those with disabilities. I say again to all employers that they are missing out on serious talent and skills if they do not recruit people with disabilities. I commend all of the employers who avail of the wage subsidy scheme and encourage and offer opportunities to people with disabilities. We will continue to work with various groups on the wage subsidy scheme, employability services and the WorkAbility scheme, which are on-the-ground responses, working in specific areas with specific responses. I am happy to continue working with these schemes and to continue funding them to enhance their approach.

We continue to support the upskilling of staff in the Department on how we treat people with disabilities, in particular, through the just-a-minute, or JAM, initiative being rolled out across the Department.

Deputy Catherine Ardagh

I commend the Minister on his leadership on this. I also commend the Oireachtas work and learning programme, OWL, developed in partnership with WALK, an organisation based in Walkinstown in my constituency, which does outstanding work supporting people with intellectual disabilities to access meaningful employment. The programme shows how supported employment works in practice when organisations lead by example. As the Minister said, we already see many large employers, including in the retail sector, and small and medium-sized businesses quietly providing inclusive and supportive workplaces. There is real merit, as the Minister said, in acknowledging these employers, large and small, which support people with disabilities and also the benefit they get themselves when they hire people with disabilities. I thank the Minister for his response. I would be grateful if he could raise the issue of Scoil Eoin in Crumlin with the Minister, Deputy Naughton.

Deputy Dara Calleary

I will do that. In relation to the wage subsidy scheme, as of the end of November 2025, we had 1,550 employers and 2,615 employees availing of the scheme. On the work and access scheme, we had paid 221 grants to the end of November 2025. On WorkAbility, we have supported 4,585 people since 2024. I join the Deputy in paying tribute to the Oireachtas, in particular to former Ceann Comhairle, Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl, who led on the OWL initiative. It shows we can all offer that opportunity and avail of that skill and talent.

I think it has been a very successful programme. Under employability, through 2025 to the end of November, we had 3,076 referrals and 9,500 early engagements. For those in the early stages of disability payment there was a meeting with them to point out the available employment supports.

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht - Thursday, 15 Jan 2026