Written Answers Nos. 81-110
86. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the requirement for photo ID when applying for a public service card, as many people do not have a passport or driver's licence; if an alternative will be offered; if identity confirmation by a garda or solicitor will be made acceptable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20865/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe introduction of the Public Services Card since 2012 has proven to be an important innovation both in enabling access to public services across a wide range of Government bodies and protecting against the use of fraudulent identities to access those services.
For example, everyday hundreds of thousands of people use the PSC to access free travel or to collect their social welfare payment at a post office. In addition, the PSC is key to facilitating access to easy-to-use online services from my Department, the Revenue Commissioners, the National Driving Licence Service, the Passport Office and SUSI among many others. Last year alone, my Department processed over 3 million online transactions via the MyGovID service which is built on the PSC process.
It is important therefore that we do not impose any unnecessary impediment to a person authenticating their identity as part of the PSC process. I can confirm that it is not an essential requirement, where a person presents for registration at any of the Department's 110 offices nationwide, that they provide an existing photo ID in the form of a passport or driving licence. This arrangement is in place in recognition of the fact that not every person holds a passport or driver licence.
The process through which a person authenticates their identify is known as the SAFE process. A person presenting at one of the Department's offices to acquire a PSC is asked to present documentary evidence of their identity and address, including, if they have one, their passport or driving licence. However this is not mandatory as the person's photo is taken by staff at the office and it is this photo that is then used on the PSC and is also matched against all other PSC photos using biometric methods to ensure that same identity is not being used twice.
In addition, since July 2024, residents on the island of Ireland, over age sixteen, who hold a current Irish passport can opt to verify their identity on-line, using the MyGovID app, which is available for free download from Apple and Google App Play Stores. In these cases, a person does not have to attend an in-person appointment at one of our offices. However, if using this App we do insist that they present their passport as evidence of identity.
Last year over 375,000 registered their identity for SAFE / PSC purposes of which over 50,000 used the new online App.
90. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of employers currently availing of the wage subsidy scheme, WSS, the number of employees employed in companies that avail of the WSS; the number of companies that avail of strand 2 of the WSS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21677/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Wage Subsidy Scheme is a key employment support for people with disabilities. By providing a subsidy to reduce the ongoing cost of employing a person with a disability, the scheme aims to address any perceived disadvantages of hiring a person with a disability. It encourages employers to offer substantial and sustainable employment to people with disabilities through a subsidy. As of March 2025, 1,501 employers are currently availing of the Wage Subsidy Scheme and 2,464 people with disabilities were employed and supported through the scheme.
The subsidy rate is based on how many employees with a disability that the employer hires through the Wage Subsidy Scheme. In Strand 1, the base wage subsidy paid is €6.30 per hour. In Strand 2, there are five payment bands ranging from €6.30 per hour to €9.45 per hour. In Strand 3, employers who employ 25 or more employees on the Wage Subsidy Scheme may receive a grant of €30,000 towards the cost of employing an Employment Assistance Officer.There are currently 147 companies availing of Strand 2 of the Wage Subsidy Scheme.
In August 2024, my Department published a review of the Wage Subsidy Scheme. The review made six recommendations, including to reduce the minimum required hours of the scheme, to regularly review the subsidy rate, and to expand the scheme to employers outside of the private sector. An additional €3.7 million has been allocated to implement the review’s recommendations. In April 2024, the minimum hours for the scheme were reduced from 21 to 15 hours. Under the Programme for Government, the Government has committed to review the minimum hours requirement under the Wage Subsidy Scheme and to examine an increase to the payment rate.
92. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider amending the rules of the domiciliary care allowance so that the payment is extended for the care of children up to 18 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21390/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraDomiciliary Care Allowance is a non-means-tested payment of €360 per month to a parent or guardian for a child aged up to 16 who has a severe disability. The child must require care and attention substantially over and above that required by other children their age. Eligibility for Domiciliary Care Allowance is not based on the disability or diagnosis, but rather on the impact of the disability in terms of the level of care and attention required by the child. There is no restriction on the number of children for whom a person may claim the payment. In other words, where a person is caring for more than one child who qualifies for Domiciliary Care Allowance, they may claim the monthly allowance for each.
From January 2025, the rate of Domiciliary Care Allowance increased from €340 to €360 per month. As of March, there were 58,416 families in receipt of the payment in relation to 66,044 children. Expenditure in 2025 is estimated at over €301 million.Domiciliary Care Allowance claims have increased over 100% since 2015, with a 50% increase in the past five years.Domiciliary Care Allowance ceases to be payable when a child reaches 16 years of age. This is aligned with the age of eligibility for Disability Allowance. If the young person continues to suffer from a disability that significantly impacts their daily living activities, they can then apply for a Disability Allowance payment in their own name of €244 per week and, in addition, if their parent or guardian continues to provide full-time care they can then retain, or apply for, a Carers payment.
One of the key proposals in the Green Paper on Disability Reform was to extend the upper age limit for Domiciliary Care Allowance and the lower age limit for Disability Allowance to 18 years of age. The Green Paper was a consultation document. Based on the feedback received during the public consultation, the process was discontinued.
94. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people who have applied for the jobseeker’s pay-related benefit since its introduction, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21744/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am very pleased to report that the new Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit was introduced a month ago (31st March). This is a payment that will help people who lose a job to adjust to the income shock that this often entails. Instead of paying a single flat rate to all jobseekers as was the case up to this, Pay-Related Benefit means that the rate of income support is directly linked to previous earnings.
Under the scheme, the weekly rate of payment for a person with at least five years paid PRSI contributions will be set at 60% of previous earnings, up to a maximum of €450 for the first three months. After that, the rate will be set at 55% of previous earnings up to a maximum of €375 for the following three months. A further three months will be paid at the rate of 50%, up to a maximum €300 payment.
For people who have between two and five years paid contributions, the rate will be set at 50% of previous earnings. This will be paid up to a maximum of €300 per week, subject to a maximum duration of six months.As of Saturday 19th April, the total number of Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit claims registered is 4,806 of which 3,589 were awarded.
There were 3,469 in payment at this date of which a total of 1,805, or 52%, were in receipt of the maximum €450 weekly rate of payment. A further 208 individuals, or 6%, were in receipt of the €300 weekly rate where they have fewer than five years PRSI contributions.
The specifics by county breakdown are not yet available but will be reported on in due course.
The introduction of the new Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit scheme has been a significant undertaking for my Department over the last number of years, and I want to place on the record my thanks to the officials involved.
96. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of schools in Meath now eligible to receive hot school meals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21639/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children not only to address the risk of food poverty among vulnerable children but to support all children in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. Importantly, as the meals are provided to all children in a school children from poorer backgrounds are not stigmatised by being singled out.
There are now 2,850 primary schools participating in the Hot School Meals Programme for the current academic school year. As announced in Budget 2025, Hot School Meals will be extended to all remaining primary schools in 2025 meaning that there will be 3,200 eligible schools encompassing 550,000 children from September 2025.
The total number of schools eligible for Hot School Meals in County Meath is 104.
Following the extension of eligibility to all primary schools, the remaining primary schools were contacted last year and requested to submit an expression of interest form if their school was interested in commencing the provision of hot school meals.
Any remaining primary schools in Meath who have yet to express an interest, will be eligible to join the programme from September 2025.
As part of the Programme for Government I plan to commence the rollout of Hot School Meals to secondary schools over the lifetime of this Government.
98. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress against the national target for reducing the number of children experiencing consistent poverty; whether a new target has been set for the reduction in the numbers of children living in poverty in the period to the end of 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21676/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is keenly aware of child poverty issues and is also conscious of the impact of cost-of-living increases in 2023 and 2024.
The Government's concern to address these issues are reflected both in the creation of a child poverty unit in the Department of An Taoiseach and in the development of recent Budget packages.
The budget packages, which were the largest in the history of the State contained a number of important measures with a specific focus on helping children and families, including significant increases to the Child Support Payment, one-off or bonus payments to families on welfare payments and double child benefit payments. In addition the free school books and Hot-school meals programmes were rolled out over the period.
Given how the Central Statistics Office Survey of Income and Living Conditions is complied, it will take some time for the impact of these measures to be fully reflected in official statistics, however post budget research from my Department and the ESRI indicates that recent budgets have been progressive in improving outcomes for low-income households.
Nevertheless we cannot be complacent, particularly as poverty is a measured in relative terms; it is, as a result, a moving target with the poverty line getting higher as incomes in society generally increase.
That is why the the commitment in Roadmap for Social Inclusion to set a new national child poverty target was reiterated in the Programme for Government. To deliver on this commitment, a consultation process on the setting of a new child poverty target concluded last year, with 10 submissions received from a range of stakeholders.
These submissions are now being reviewed. As part of this process the Department of the Taoiseach has convened meetings with stakeholders to discuss the Child Poverty Target and measures to reduce child poverty. Officials from my Department have attended these meetings and, arising from these discussions, I expect to shortly submit a proposal to Government on a new national child poverty target together with proposals to help achieve this target.
100. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection when the means test for disability allowance will be abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20504/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraDisability Allowance is my Department's primary disability related social assistance scheme. Disability Allowance is a means-tested payment for people with a disability who are aged between 16 and 66. In order to be eligible, the disability must be expected to last for at least one year. The allowance is also subject to a means test, a medical assessment and a habitual residency requirement.
Estimated expenditure on Disability Allowance for 2025 is expected to be almost €2.4 billion with 168,000 recipients of this payment in February 2025.The purpose of the means test is to ensure that resources are directed to those with the greatest need for income supports by the State. According to Census 2022 data, over 1.1 million people living in Ireland declared to have a disability. Removing the means test for Disability Allowance would result in a significant increase in recipient numbers which would have impacts on the money available to support other vulnerable cohorts. For that reason, I do not propose to remove the means test.
It should be noted that Disability Allowance has one of the highest capital disregards operated by the Department of Social Protection. A recipient can have up to €50,000 in savings and still receive the full rate of payment. This is compared to €20,000 for most social welfare payments.
People on Disability Allowance can take up employment or self-employment and continue to receive all or part of their social welfare payment, depending on their income. A person can earn up to €165 a week and keep their full rate of Disability Allowance and up to €517.60 a week and still keep their entitlement to the minimum rate of payment and their secondary benefits.
The new Programme for Government commits to reform the Disability Allowance Payment and remove anomalies in the current means test. A review of means testing across all schemes in the Department is underway. The outcome of this review will be used to inform decisions regarding any further changes to means testing. All prospective changes to means testing arrangements will have to be considered in both an overall policy and budgetary context.
101. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will report on the review of nutritional standards in the hot school meals programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21728/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is a already a nutritional standard in place for the School Meals Programme since. A specific standard was set for School Meals under the Nutritional Standards for School Meals and Nutritional Standards for Hot School Meals. A technical Nutrition Sub Group comprised of Dietitians from the following organisations was involved in developing these standards:
• The Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute of Ireland,
• The HSE,
• Safefood, and
• The Food Safety Authority of Ireland.
These standards are available to all schools, organisations and suppliers and are publicly available at gov.ie.
Nutritional standards are a priority for me and for the Government. Therefore given that some people have raised concerns regarding the nutritional value of school meals I have asked for a review of the scheme’s nutritional standards. This will be conducted by a dietician who will be supervised by the Department of Health and in coordination with the Interdepartmental Group on School Meals. I have asked for a report on the nutritional standards be submitted to me by the end of the year.
In the meantime, it is important to note that schools are required to apply, and ensure that their provider adheres to, the standards already in place. The Department also has an inspection regime in place to check that menus adhere to this standard.
Finally, it is parents who select the food that they wish to be served to their child from this menu. At present one of the options on the menu is a 'cheat meal' that should only be availed off once per week. Pending the report of the review group I have instructed that this cheat option be removed. Accordingly, food that is high in saturated fat, sugar and salt will be removed from the school menus by September 2025.
102. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people who have qualified for the full amount of the jobseeker’s pay-related benefit; the proportion of the total number of recipients this is, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21745/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI was very pleased to launch the new Jobseekers Pay-Related benefit payment at the beginning of this month and I wish to compliment the Department's staff in their development and implementation of this new scheme on time and within budget. It is a new scheme that will help people who lose their employment to cope with the sudden income-shock that always accompanies such a loss, and in addition, provide them with a better platform from which to seek alternative work.
As of 19th April, the total number of claims awarded for Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit was 3,589. There were 3,469 in payment at this date of which a total of 1,805 were in receipt of the maximum €450 weekly rate of payment. A further 208 were in receipt of the maximum €300 weekly rate which is payable where a person has fewer than five years PRSI contributions. The specifics by county breakdown are not yet available. Detailed statistics on the take-up of PRB will in due course be included in the monthly statistics on the Live Register published by the Central Statistics Office.
I trust this clarifies the position.
105. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on plans to introduce a permanent annual cost of disability support payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21566/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government recognises the additional costs associated with having a disability and is committed to improving outcomes for disabled people. That is why in the last three Budgets we brought forward an extensive range of cost of living measures to support people with disabilities and their families, including lump sum payments, bonus payments and increases to the maximum personal rate of weekly disability payments.
In the Programme for Government, we have committed to introducing a permanent Annual Cost of Disability Support Payment with a view to incrementally increasing this payment. We are currently examining the best way of delivering on this commitment within the overall budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
106. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will explore the possibility of reducing the minimum hours of the wage subsidy scheme from 15 hours to ten hours (details supplied). [19846/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Wage Subsidy Scheme is a key disability employment support. It aims to encourage employers to offer substantial and sustainable employment to people with disabilities through a subsidy.
Last year, my Department published a review of the Wage Subsidy Scheme.In April 2024, based on the findings in the review, my Department reduced the minimum required hours for the scheme from 21 hours per week to 15 hours per week. This change sought to make the scheme more accessible and flexible to people with disabilities. However, it also sought to ensure that the Wage Subsidy Scheme maintains its key aim to encourage employers to provide substantial and meaningful work to people with disabilities.
From 2017 to 2022, the proportion of employees working the maximum hours was more than double those working the minimum hours. For example, in 2022, 46% of employees worked 39 hours. This is exactly double the number of employees who worked 21 hours (23%).
The scheme needs to operate with the new 15-hour minimum requirement for a period before my Department can assess the impact this change has had on the scheme. As this reduced requirement has been in place for little more than a year, more time is needed to analyse the effect of the recent reduction in hours. Upon that analysis, I will ask my officials to examine any further reduction in hours.
I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
107. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Social Protection the financial or in-work incentives currently available to support individuals in County Offaly transitioning from welfare into employment, particularly in low-income or part-time roles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20775/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides a range of financial supports for people transitioning to employment, including part-time working. The Intreo teams in Tullamore and Edenderry are available to assist customers in relation to the supports appropriate to their particular circumstances. Key supports include the following:
A person can work up to three days and continue to receive a partial jobseeker’s payment with disregards applied to the earnings. The part-time job incentive scheme is an administrative scheme under Jobseeker's Allowance, which facilitates part-time employment for up to 24 hours per week. The new Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit scheme is available while an employee is fully unemployed and seeking new employment.
In addition, my Department provides the Working Family Payment for employees with children on low incomes and the Back to Work Family Dividend for families who move from social welfare to employment. In the case of those parenting alone, the first €165 per week of gross earnings is disregarded in the means assessment under the One-Parent Family Payment and half the balance is assessed as means.
Intreo staff in Tullamore and Edenderry offer an individualised employment service to identify steps the jobseeker should take to progress to sustainable employment. There is a wide range of supports on offer in terms of further education, training, upskilling, as well as the Work Placement Experience Programme, Community Employment and TUS to support people to obtain or retain employment.
Intreo Employment Services are also available to people on a voluntary, walk-in, basis such as customers in receipt of other social welfare payments, people not in receipt of a payment, part-time workers who want to increase their hours and people who are employed or looking to change job or career.
I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
108. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if carer’s benefit could be considered as a scheme to be transformed into a pay-related one; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21765/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government commits to examining the introduction of a Pay Related Carer’s Benefit for individuals who have to give up work suddenly in order to provide full-time care to a loved one. In terms of roll-out of Pay-Related Benefits, the Programme for Government also contains a commitment to introduce a Pay-Related Parent’s Benefit. The new Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit scheme commenced on 31st March. This experience will help to inform future decisions regarding pay-related schemes.
I am committed to supporting our family carers and I will continue to keep the range of supports provided by my department under review. However, the continued extension of a Pay-Related-Benefit approach to other schemes will require detailed analysis including impacts on PRSI rates and would have to be considered in an overall budgetary and policy context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
109. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools in Kerry now eligible to receive hot school meals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21420/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
Following my announcement on the 11 April 2025, there are 2,850 primary schools now participating in the Hot School Meals Programme for the current academic school year. As announced in Budget 2025, Hot School Meals will be extended to all remaining primary schools in 2025 meaning that there will be 3,200 eligible schools in respect of 550,000 children from September 2025.
The total number of schools eligible for Hot School Meals in County Kerry is 127. I would encourage any primary schools in Kerry that are not yet part of the scheme to submit an application to my Department.
110. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to the fact the programme for Government commitment to allow parents aged over 66 receiving the State pension, who are caring for a child with a lifelong disability, to retain a full-rate carer's allowance discriminates against other carers, such as those caring for a spouse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21714/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Irish social welfare system operates on a principle of "one person, one payment". People typically receive the highest payment they qualify for. However, the Half-rate Carer’s Allowance payment is one of a limited number of exceptions to this. This allows individuals receiving certain payments, such as the State Pension, who are providing full-time care and attention to retain their main payment and receive an additional payment, the maximum of which is equivalent to half the Carer’s Allowance rate.
It is important to note that where a Half-rate Carer's Allowance is in payment a person is already receiving more in terms of a weekly income support from my Department than a person just in receipt of their primary weekly payment. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to ensure that parents who are aged 66 or older and caring for children with lifelong disabilities retain the rate at which they are paid their Carer’s Allowance and concurrently receive the State Pension.I would like to assure the Deputy that any changes to the carer income supports on foot of such commitments will only be introduced after consultation with carers and their representative groups and within the overall budgetary and policy context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
