Written Answers Nos. 81-100
83. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the mechanism for any primary school participating in the hot school meal programme that have concerns related to the nutritional value of meals provided, plastic waste or any other issue; the way in which this can be rectified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59973/25]
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.
Under the School Meals programme, the primary relationship is between the school and supplier. All schools who wish to avail of funding under the programme are responsible for choosing their schools meals supplier on the open market, in a fair and transparent manner in accordance with public procurement rules. These rules clearly define the successful tenderer’s responsibilities and obligations, including in relation to compliance with Nutritional Standards for School Meals and Nutritional Standards for Hot School Meals.
If parents have any concerns regarding the meals being provided, plastic waste or any other issue, they much bring it to the attention of the School Principal and or Board of Management. The school as the contracting authority will raise the matters with the supplier who will address the issues raised.
Nutritional standards are a priority for me and for the Government. I have asked for a review of the scheme’s nutritional standards. This is being conducted by a dietician supervised by the Department of Health and in coordination with the Interdepartmental Group on School Meals. A report on the nutritional standards to be submitted to me by the end of the year.
In the meantime, food that is high in saturated fat, sugar and salt has been removed from the school menus since September 2025. Up to now this food had been permitted once a week at most and only when selected by the child's parents.
The Schools Procurement Unit, which is grant funded by the Department of Education, provides guidance to schools for all procurements including the School Meals Programme. This includes guidelines to promote sustainability, reduce plastic and non-recyclable packaging.
Under the Programme for Government I will continue to expand and improve the Free Hot School Meals programme which requires that suppliers adhere to robust guidelines on the nutritional value of meals, the dietary requirements of students, the reduction food waste and the use recyclable packaging.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
84. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection for an overview of the Budget 2026 measures to tackle child poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62062/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs was stated by the Taoiseach in advance of the Budget, tackling child poverty is a key priority for this Government.
I was determined that the social welfare Budget 2026 package would focus on reducing child poverty. I am delighted that I was successful in securing over €320 million in measures that will have a significant and positive impact in reducing child poverty. These include:
• The largest increase in the Child Support Payment in the history of the State, with increases of €8 for children under 12 and €16 for children aged 12 and over, benefitting over 300,000 children and bringing the weekly payments up to €58 and €78 respectively.
• Increase in the Working Family Payment income thresholds for all families by €60 per week. This will benefit over 48,000 families.
• All households in receipt of the Working Family Payment will qualify for Fuel Allowance, which will also increase by €5 per week in January.
• Expansion of the Back-To-School Clothing and Footwear Payment to 2 and 3-year-olds for eligible recipients.
• €20 increase in the Domiciliary Care Allowance.
• The extension of the Back to Work Family Dividend for recipients of Disability Allowance and Blind Pension.
In addition, a €10 increase in most weekly social welfare payments and a Christmas bonus will also help to tackle child poverty.
It is important to note that Budget 2026 was the just one part of what is a concerted cross Government effort to tackle child poverty, an effort that includes, for example, the roll-out of the free school meals, free schoolbooks, early childhood care and education and free GP visit card programmes. In future budgets, I will continue to look at how income supports can contribute to the challenge of reducing child poverty so that along with other measures in the housing, childcare, health and education sectors we can meet our new target of 3% or less consistent poverty among children by 2030.
85. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the deadline for employers to register on the my future fund portal, which will be open for registrations from 1 December 2025; if assistance will be available to employers and the SME sector on the registration process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62013/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce the Automatic Enrolment (AE) Retirement Savings System. The aim of introducing AE is to address the pension coverage gap that exists in Ireland and to provide workers with greater comfort and security regarding their retirement income. The new system - to be known as My Future Fund - will commence from 1st January 2026.
The auto-enrolment project is progressing well with the aim of launching the My Future Fund employer portal in early December. Employers should use this portal to register some of their company details including contact information and to record their payment details with NAERSA. This will be a simple once-and-done task that should only take a short few minutes. Employers should complete this registration before the end of December to ensure that contributions can be collected automatically and seamlessly in January and thereby avoid the risk of compliance action.
There is plenty of information and assistance available to employers to help them with this. Firstly, NAERSA will be providing a contact centre for employers comprising trained support staff which can be accessed by phone or electronically. Secondly, how-to guides and videos will also be available on the My Future Fund website. Thirdly, when the portal is launched, the Department will notify employers through a network of trusted partners and stakeholders, as well as with advertisements on a range of media. As part of the notification, an employer handbook will be made available to employers and their agents.
In addition to these measures, the Department has been hosting regular information webinars on the system for employers with around 14,500 employers engaged with so far and over 1,500 people attending in the past week alone. These will continue over the coming weeks.
I hope this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
86. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason pre-1992 former employees of a company (details supplied) who were made redundant and not offered options with regards to their pension entitlements in the 1990s, are not entitled to compensation for same, in accordance with EU Directive 2008/94/EC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62259/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis issue relates to a group of former workers who left the service of Waterford Crystal between 1990 and 1992 under a redundancy arrangement. At the time of the redundancy, the workers received a refund of their pension contributions relating to their service in the relevant company pension schemes up to that time. As a result, they then ceased to be members of the pension scheme and no longer had any rights or entitlements under the schemes. This was a private agreement entered into by the workers themselves.
Separately, in 2010, a legal action was taken by a group of former Waterford Crystal workers against the State following the insolvency of the Waterford Crystal Factory and Staff pension schemes. The case (known as the Hogan Case) related to the failure of the State to transpose into Irish law the provisions of the Insolvency Protection Directive. The Directive requires Member States to ensure that necessary measures are taken to protect employees’ occupational pension scheme benefits where an employer becomes insolvent.
In 2015, a mediated settlement was reached between the parties to that legal action. The mediated settlement applied to all persons who were members of the Waterford Crystal Staff and Factory pension schemes on the date of wind-up of the schemes (31st March 2009). In total, 1,774 scheme members are covered by the agreement. The total costs to the Exchequer arising from the mediated agreement were estimated at €253 million.
No member of the schemes with preserved benefits on the date of wind-up was excluded from the mediated settlement in respect of their preserved benefits. Those former employees of Waterford Crystal who previously took redundancy and received refunds of pension contributions were not eligible to be included in the mediated settlement as they had no preserved benefits in the scheme.
The question regarding the provision of leaving service options is one for the employer and the trustees rather than the State, and is not an issue that gives rise to protections under the Insolvency Directive.
Following a meeting with some of those affected in September 2024, the former Taoiseach requested the Attorney General to review the claims being made, including the allegations around the failure to provide leaving service options. The Attorney General advised that there is no basis on which the State could be obliged to compensate the members concerned or otherwise intervene.
While I appreciate the disappointment of those who find themselves in this situation, this arises from personal decisions they took when they were offered redundancy and the terms they agreed at that time. Other workers did not avail of that option and were subsequently provided for under separate arrangements. The request that the terms be equalised is not a matter that the State can resolve, nor would it be appropriate for the State to use taxpayers funds do so.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
87. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline his targets regarding the eradication of child poverty; his efforts to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62281/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraReducing child poverty is a key priority for Government.
In line with commitments in the Programme for Government, a new Child Poverty Target was agreed by Government in September, which is to reduce the child consistent poverty rate to 3% or less by 2030. This is an ambitious goal, representing a reduction of of 5.5 percentage points, or nearly 60%, from the current rate of 8.5%.
It is important to note that as a developed economy poverty in Ireland is measured on a relative rather than an absolute basis. In other words poverty is assessed by comparing a person's income to the average income in society. As a relatively high income country this means that many people assessed as experiencing poverty in Ireland would not be considered to poor in many other EU countries.
Nevertheless if we are committed to social cohesion it is important to retain this approach. Moreover the consistent poverty measure that we use is unique to Ireland and captures those children in families that are at both at risk of relative poverty and those who self-report material deprivation.
In using this measure and setting a target based on this measure, the Government is clear that no child should be left behind and that no level of child poverty, whether it is measured in relative or absolute terms, is acceptable.
This target will guide cross-departmental policies over the lifetime of this Government and ensure resources are targeted at families most in need.
In addition, the Child Poverty and Well-being Programme Office in the Department of the Taoiseach is developing a Dashboard of Indicators, that will complement the Target and allow us to track child poverty in a more holistic manner.
Tackling child poverty requires sustained investment and cross-Government commitment over many years.
The social welfare package in Budget 2026 reflects this commitment, allocating €320 million specifically to address child poverty in my Department. Key targeted measures include the largest increases to Child Support Payments in the State’s history, higher thresholds for the Working Family Payment, with expanded eligibility for Fuel Allowance and the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance. These are in addition to other measures already in train including the rollout of free school meals, free school books, the free GP visit card and enhancement to the Early Childhood Care and Education schemes.
Given the multi-dimensional nature of child poverty, a whole-of-Government approach is essential. Alongside income supports, we are advancing actions in housing, employment, childcare, and public services. The successor to the current Roadmap for Social Inclusion will be published in the first half of 2026, and will for the first time contain a dedicated focus on child poverty with the aim of achieving our ambitious target by the end of the decade.
88. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection the work being done to address the anomalies that have arisen with the wage subsidy scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62180/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Wage Subsidy Scheme is a key disability employment support provided by my Department. It aims to encourage employers to offer substantial and sustainable employment to disabled people through a subsidy.
Last year, my Department published a review of the Wage Subsidy Scheme following a public consultation to make the scheme more accessible and flexible for disabled people and their employers.
The review made six recommendations, including to reduce the minimum required hours of the scheme from 21 to 15. This was done from April 2024. The review also recommended expanding the scheme to include employers in the charity and voluntary sector, expansion to include employees in receipt of Partial Capacity Benefit, and to removing terms such as ‘productivity deficit’ from the scheme to better align the scheme with the social model of disability. These changes were made this year.
An additional €3.7 million has been allocated to implement the review’s recommendations.
In June, I formally launched the reformed Wage Subsidy Scheme together with the Taoiseach, the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality and Minister of State for Disability. A six-week media campaign followed to raise awareness of this very beneficial scheme.
The final recommendation was to regularly review the subsidy rate. The recently published National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030 also includes a commitment to examine an increase in the subsidy rate. The rate was reviewed in the context of Budget 2026. As a result, from April 2026:
• the two lower rates of €6.30 and €6.93 are being combined into one rate and increased to €7.50,
• the two middle rates of €7.56 and €8.19 are being combined and increased to €8.50, and
• the two higher rates of €8.82 and €9.45 are being combined and increased to €10.
There has been some criticism of the Budget 2026 increases in the Wage Subsidy Scheme rates, which has been from some of the bigger employers. These are on the higher rates of subsidy due to the number of employees they have covered by the scheme. Such organisations receive hundreds of thousands of euro under the scheme in a year, reaching up to approximately €1.5 million annually.
Budget 2026 has also provided for the expansion of the scheme to people who acquire a disability while in employment, those who have a progressive or degenerative condition that worsens and to those who transfer from Invalidity Pension to Partial Capacity Benefit. This implements another commitment in the new strategy.
I expect that the improvements already made as a result of the review and those in Budget 2026 will increase participation in the scheme.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
89. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide the conclusion of the Data Protection Commission’s investigation into the public services card using facial-matching technology as a means for his Department’s processing of biometric/identity data; the provisions that will be made to bring the scheme into full compliance with GDPR; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61984/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe SAFE registration process is key to proper authentication of a person's identity. It helps to deter and, where attempted, detect fraudulent presentation of identities for the purpose of accessing public services and funds. It also acts to facilitate easier access to services by enabling people to present proof of identity on a 'once and done' basis rather than having to present such proofs each time they transact with a public body. It is also core to the delivery of secure online services and is key to the implementation of the Connecting Government 2030 strategy, and the implementation in Ireland of the EU Digital agenda including the EIDAS regulation and the EU Digital Wallet. The SAFE process and the use of the PSC was absolutely critical to the rapid rollout of services in response to the Covid epidemic and more recently has proven critical to the allocation of a unique identity, enabling access to public services, for the migrants from Ukraine and other countries.
To date over 4.8 million people have verified their identities using the SAFE process, over 3.2 million of whom use this verified identity to use the Government's online services. There have been no cases of any loss, breach or misuse of data, or of any harm to individuals whose identity has been verified. On the other hand there has been a number of cases of criminals detected and prosecuted for fraudulent presentation of identity. Notably there here has been a decrease in cases of identity related fraud since the roll-out of the process in 2012.
In July 2021, the Data Protection Commission (DPC) commenced an own volition inquiry into the department’s processing of biometric data in connection with the authentication of identity by way of the SAFE Registration process and the issuing of Public Services Cards.
The issue raised by the DPC is not that the biometric process has caused harm or that the technical operation of the process and its security features is in anyway deficient but rather that it does not consider that the department of social protection has an adequate legal basis for the processing of biometric data.
In summary, the DPC acknowledges that the process is provided for in law, but it believes that the law is not transparent or precise enough in its formulation to satisfy GDPR requirements.
Having carefully considered the DPC's decision, and following consultation with the Attorney General's Office, my department believes that there is in fact an adequate legal basis and has appealed the decision on 7th July 2025. This is now a matter for the courts to adjudicate; as it is now before the Courts, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further in that regard.
It is important to note that there are no current implications for users of the SAFE process, the PSC or MyGovID, or anyone wishing to register for, or avail of, these services.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
90. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will introduce a cost of disability lump sum payment in the run up to Christmas, to reduce the impact of the increased cost of living on disabled people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62271/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government commits to introducing a permanent Annual Cost of Disability Support Payment with a view to incrementally increasing this payment. Our Programme for Government commitments will be advanced over the lifetime of the Government, having regard to the overall policy and budgetary context.
Government has been very clear that there would be no once-off measures in this year’s Budget. We are at the start of a five-year programme for Government and not everything can be done in year one.
We know that addressing the cost of disability is not a question of income support alone. The delivery of and access to services are also key. We need all of the Departments and agencies of Government to work together to address the issue in a comprehensive way.
That is why the Taoiseach set up a Cabinet Committee on Disability and a dedicated programme office within his own Department.
In addition, the recently published National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030 takes a whole-of-Government approach and includes a commitment to establish a Strategic Focus Network on the Cost of Disability, led by my Department.
The work of this network, which will include people with disabilities and their advocates, will inform the approach we will be taking in delivering on this Programme for Government commitment. Officials in my Department have started to have meetings with stakeholder groups with a view to bringing a proposal to Government in the first half of next year.
I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
91. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount of expenditure to date on the creation and operation of the public services card; the amount expended in relation to regulatory and legal challenges regarding the card; if he accepts that the card records biometric data; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62280/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Public Services Card (PSC) was provided for in legislation in 1998 when it was introduced alongside the PPS Number (PPSN) to replace the previous Revenue and Social Insurance number (RSI) and the Social Service Card (SSC).
The most recent detailed cost benefit analysis, which was completed in 2021, showed at that time and taking account of administrative as well as control savings, that the SAFE process had delivered benefits of about €218m as against costs of €98m and projected an NPV out to 2030, on a conservative basis, of at least €206m. Costs arising from regulatory and legal challenges relating to the Public Services Card are not borne by my department but are instead carried by the Office of the Attorney General and the Chief State Solicitor’s Office.
My department received a copy of the Data Protection Commission’s (DPC) final decision on the processing of biometric templates in connection with the SAFE registration process on 9th June 2025.
The Deputy should be aware that the biometric template created by my department, as part of the SAFE identity authentication process, is not stored on an individual’s PSC and is not shared with any other department or organisation. The data is stored only on a secure database and is used only by my department’s facial matching system. It should be noted that the DPC did not find any evidence of inadequate technical and organisational security measures and that there are no examples of any person suffering damage or loss as a result of SAFE registration.
The DPC decision does not find that there is no legal provision for the processing involved but that the legal provision that exists is not, in its view, clear and precise enough to satisfy the requirements of GDPR.
The decision therefore has no immediate implications for the processing of this data, or for users of the PSC or MyGovID, or anyone wishing to register or avail of, these services currently.
Having carefully considered the decision and consulted with the Attorney Generals Office, my department appealed the decision on 7th July 2025. As the matter is before the Courts, I will not be making any further comment.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
92. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has reviewed the possibility of lowering employers' PRSI in light of the forthcoming auto-enrolment scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50818/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce the Automatic Enrolment (AE) Retirement Savings System. The aim of introducing AE is to address the pension coverage gap that exists in Ireland and to provide workers with greater comfort and security regarding their retirement income. The new system - to be known as My Future Fund - will commence from 1 January 2026. The implementation of Automatic Enrolment will pave the way for around 7500,000 workers to be brought into a retirement savings scheme for the first time and I look forward to its implementation.
There are no plans to review the rate paid by employers in respect of PRSI. With regard to Automatic Enrolment, it should be noted that every effort has been made to ease the burden on employers associated with the implementation of this important initiative. During the design phase, there was extensive engagement with employers through a public consultation exercise and with their representative organisations. As a result of that, the design of My Future Fund was changed to provide for a phasing-in of contribution rates over a decade (rather than 6 years as originally planned), starting at a very low 1.5% of gross pay for the first three years. For employers, this approach gives them more time to adjust their budgets and it gives them very clear certainty as to the rates that will be applicable so as to facilitate the gradual absorption of these labour costs, thereby easing the burden on employers in implementing this reform.
It is also important to note that earlier this year I announced that the collection of contributions for 'My Future Fund' had been rescheduled to the 1st January 2026 from the 30th September 2025. This decision was informed by a number of factors including giving additional lead-in time for employers, particularly small and micro businesses, to ensure they can be compliant with the legislation from the start.
Additionally, the introduction of My Future Fund will be a positive development for many employers because the availability of an occupational pension in a place of employment can be a significant draw for talented workers. Conversely, the lack of an occupational pension can push workers away. The introduction of My Future Fund, therefore, creates a more level playing field for employers trying to attract good workers in a tight jobs market. Moreover, employers benefit from participating in the scheme by enhancing their employees’ sense of wellbeing with regard to them having some security with respect to their post-employment retirement.
Finally, we have set up a new public body called the National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority (NAERSA) which will take care of most of the administration of the scheme, making it very easy for employers to comply with their obligations, and ensuring that employers will not have to shoulder any of the administrative costs of the scheme.
I hope this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
93. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the implementation of the Programme for Government commitments for older people that fall under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62071/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs set out in the Programme for Government my Department is committed to ensuring that the State Pension remains the bedrock of pension provision in Ireland for older people. We will continue to strengthen the safety net for our older citizens, improving their quality of life and promoting dignity and independence in later years.
At the outset, it is important to reiterate that this Government is totally committed to maintaining the State Pension Age at 66.
My Department has in the most recent Budget announcement continued to deliver gradual increasing of the rate of payment for the State Pension. As part of Budget 2026, an increase of €10 per week was provided, which will see the maximum rate of pay for the State Pension (Contributory) at €299.30 from January. My Department also announced a €5 increase in Fuel Allowance from €33 to €38 per week from January 2026. This will provide an additional €140 during the annual fuel allowance season for every person over the age of 66 who qualifies for the scheme.
Also, as set out in the Programme for Government, the Department will examine the extent to which the measures already in place are adequate for ensuring that women do not fall outside of the State pension system. To do this the Department will, among other things, consider the trends in social insurance records and payments for women, any other purported barriers to accessing State pension supports for women, and the impact of means testing.
In January, my Department will deliver on the Government's commitment to Introduce the Auto Enrolment Retirement Savings System, known as 'My Future Fund' to provide workers with greater comfort and security regarding their retirement savings.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
94. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider extending the domiciliary care allowance payment beyond the current age limit of 16 years of age, so that it continues until the child reaches 18 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62167/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraDomiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly non-means tested payment 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 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.
As part of Budget 2026, the rate of Domiciliary Care Allowance will increase by €20 to €380 per month from January.
As of the end of October 2025, there were 61,753 families in receipt of Domiciliary Care Allowance in respect of 70,131 children. Claims have doubled since 2015.
Domiciliary Care Allowance stops being paid when a child reaches 16 years of age. This aligns with the age of eligibility for Disability Allowance. If the young person continues to have a disability that significantly impacts their daily life, they can then apply for a Disability Allowance payment in their own name. If their parent or guardian continues to provide full-time care they can then retain, or apply for, a carer's payment.
My Department published the Green Paper on Disability Reform in September 2023. 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 and was withdrawn following feedback from disability stakeholders.
Any future reform of disability or carers payments, including Domiciliary Care Allowance, will be considered in the context of our commitments in the Programme for Government and the recently published National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
95. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is concerned at the impact the abolition of so-called once off payments in Budget 2026 will have on disabled people who are unable to work; the measures he will take to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59243/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra143. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is concerned at the impact that the abolition of the disability support grant in Budget 2026 will have on disabled people; the measures he will take to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59242/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 143 together.
The Government recognises the significant additional costs that disabled people can face in their daily lives and is committed improving outcomes for disabled people by introducing permanent measures.
That is why the Programme for Government commits to introducing a permanent Annual Cost of Disability Support Payment with a view to incrementally increasing this payment. It is also why the last five budgets have progressively increased the weekly payment rates for Disability Allowance by €51 and the earnings disregard increase by almost 38% from €120 to €165 currently.The Government, been very clear that there would be no once-off measures in this Budget. This is the first of this Government’s five Budgets. We are at the start of a five-year programme for Government and not everything can be done in year one.
Nevertheless, Budget 2026 contains significant permanent measures to support people on disability income support payments while also making it easier for people with disabilities to progress into and importantly to stay in employment. These measures include:
• €10 increase in the maximum personal rate of weekly disability payments from January 2026. There will be proportionate increases for people getting reduced rate.
• Increase the weekly rates of the Child Support Payment by €8 per week, to €58, for children under 12 and by €16 per week to €78 for children aged 12 and over.
• Christmas bonus – double week payment in December.
• €5 increase in Fuel Allowance from €33 to €38 per week from January 2026. This will provide an additional €140 during the annual fuel allowance season.
• People moving from Disability Allowance or Blind Pension to take up work from September 2026 will keep their Fuel Allowance for up to 5 years.
• People getting Disability Allowance or Blind Pension who have children will be eligible for Back to Work Family Dividend when taking up employment and moving off those payments.
• Reducing the number of bands in the Wage Subsidy Scheme from six to three and increasing all the rates so that, from April 2026 the base rate will be €7.50 per hour, up from €6.30. Where an employer employs between 7 and 16 employees under the scheme, they will receive a new rate of €8.50. In the case of an employer who has more than 17 employees, the new higher rate will be €10 per hour for each employee.
• Expansion of the Wage Subsidy Scheme to people who acquire a disability while in employment and to those who transfer from Invalidity Pension to Partial Capacity Benefit.
• The Government allocated €3.8 billion to the Department of Children, Disability and Equality for disability services in 2026, including funding for Community Based Specialist Disability Services to ensure people with disabilities receive the right support, at the right time, in the right place. This represents a 20% increase year on year and represents an overall increase since 2020 of €1.8 billion.
The Department of Social Protection package also contained measures aimed at supporting Carers, and recipients of Domiciliary Care Allowance.
• Increase the Earnings Disregard for Carer’s Allowance by €375 to €1,000 for a single person and by €750 to €2,000 for a couple from July 2026.
• The income limit for Carer’s Benefit will increase by €375 to €1,000 per week from July 2026.
• €20 increase in the monthly Domiciliary Care Allowance payment bringing the payment to €380 per month from January.
My Department provides the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, for those whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents. Under the scheme, the Department may make an ‘additional needs payment’ to meet essential expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.
The payment is available to anyone who needs it and qualifies, whether the person is currently on a social welfare payment or in employment. The payment amount will depend on a person’s weekly household income, their outgoings and the type of assistance needed. Payments are made at the discretion of the Community Welfare Officers administering the scheme, considering all the circumstances of the case.
Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an additional needs payment is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
96. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department will review the rule whereby older carers lose access to a full carer’s allowance payment when they reach pension age; if he will consider restoring the full payment given the evidence that reducing it to half-rate leads to financial strain and carer burnout in view of the fact that without family care, many of those cared for would require more costly institutional care funded by the State. [60794/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraCarer's Allowance is the main income support scheme provided by my department for family carers in the community. It is an income support payment for carers and not a payment for caring. It currently supports over 103,000 carers at an estimated cost in 2026 of over €1.4 billion.
Weekly social welfare payments are intended to address an income need that arises due to a specified contingency that eliminates or significantly restricts a person’s ability to earn an income from employment.
Given that payments are based on a loss of the opportunity to earn an income, it is not the case that experiencing more than one contingency contemporaneously, each of which significantly limits the person’s ability to work, increases that opportunity or income loss, or justifies a double payment to compensate for that loss. Generally, people who are eligible for two social welfare payments at the same time receive the higher payment for which they are eligible – they do not receive both payments simultaneously.
However, as an exception to this rule, and in recognition of the important role of caring, where a person is on a full-time social welfare payment, such as the State Pension and also caring for 35 hours or more per week, in addition to their primary payment, they can also receive a payment equivalent to up to half the Carer’s Allowance rate. This arrangement applies to almost all weekly social welfare payments, including those with increases for a qualified adult.
A person on Carer’s Allowance who qualifies for the full State Pension can, on reaching age 66 in 2025, move from a weekly Carer’s Allowance payment of €260 to a combined pension and carer payment of €438.30 per week.
So, there is no reduction in a person’s payment on moving on to State Pension, rather the person receives an increase with the combined payments.
In addition, such carers also benefit from the annual Carer’s Support Grant, which reached its highest level to date at €2,000 in June.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
97. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of first-time applications for domiciliary care allowance that have been received to date in 2025, the number that were refused; the number of those that were appealed or reviewed; the number of those that had their appeal allowed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62179/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra102. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for domiciliary care allowance received to date in 2025; the number approved; the number rejected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62130/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra115. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of successful domiciliary care allowance applications for the past three years; the number refused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62024/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 97, 102 and 115 together.
Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly payment for a child with a severe disability. The payment is not based on the type of disability, it is based on the impact of the disability.
Statistics are collated on an overall basis, and are not broken down by first time applications. The total number of claim registered, awarded and disallowed over the last three years, and to the end of September 2025, are shown in Table 1 below. The number of appeals and a breakdown by latest decision is provided in Table 2 below.
Table 1: Domiciliary Care Allowance claims registered, awarded and disallowed, by year
|
Year |
Registered |
Awarded |
Disallowed |
|
2022 |
10,524 |
7,872 |
3,948 |
|
2023 |
12,290 |
8,301 |
4,079 |
|
2024 |
13,270 |
8,961 |
4,554 |
|
2025 (to end September) |
11,434 |
6,900 |
3,616 |
Table 2: Domiciliary Care Allowance appeals to September 2025, by latest decision
|
Outcome |
Count |
|
Registered |
2,218 |
|
Decisions made |
3,411 |
|
Of which: |
|
|
Allowed |
1,209 |
|
Partially Allowed |
14 |
|
Revised Decision |
1,105 |
|
Disallowed |
949 |
|
Withdrawn |
134 |
98. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the current average waiting times for decisions on disability allowance and domiciliary care allowance applications, disaggregated by county, in tabular form; the steps being taken to reduce delays for families awaiting essential supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62165/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to inform the Deputy that the average number of weeks to award a Disability Allowance claim is consistently 6 weeks which is well inside the average target processing time target for the scheme of 10 week. In October 2025, the average weeks to award for a DCA claim was 8 weeks. The Department continues to work hard to ensure we maintain this good outcome.
The Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible.
Processing times vary across schemes, depending on the differing eligibility criteria. Schemes that require a high level of documentary evidence from the customer, particularly in the case of illness-related schemes, can take longer to process. Similarly, means-tested schemes can also require more detailed investigations and interaction with the customer, thereby lengthening the decision-making process.
As Disability Allowance (DA) and Domiciliary Care Allowance DCA applications are processed centrally on a date of receipt basis, the above information relating to county is not collated, therefore it is not possible to provide breakdowns of average waiting time by individual county.
To enable the Department to make timely and fair decisions on applications, applicants should ensure that they complete the application form fully and attach all the supporting documentation required as per the checklist provided on the application form. It is particularly important that an applicant provides, at the outset, all the details they have in relation to their medical conditions to best support their claim. This will eliminate the requirement for a Deciding Officer to have to revert to an applicant for clarifications or missing information and reduce the overall processing time.
An online DCA application service was introduced on https://services.mywelfare.ie/earlier this year. The quickest and easiest way to apply for Domiciliary Care Allowance is via https://services.mywelfare.ie/ where the applicant has a verified MyGovID account.
DA and DCA operational processes are continually monitored to ensure that application processing activity is maximised at all times.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
99. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection if he intends to review the current weekly means limit for the increase for qualified adult allowance for recipients of the State pension, with a view to increasing the current means limit of €100 which has remained unchanged for several years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62134/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides State Pension payments through the State Pension (Contributory), which is a contributory based payment based on a person's social insurance record and the State Pension (Non-Contributory) which is means-tested social assistance payment.
A State pension (contributory) recipient can claim an increase on their pension in respect of a qualified adult where the eligibility conditions for this means-tested payment are satisfied.
An Increase for qualified adult (IQA) is payable at the maximum rate of payment where the means of the qualified adult are not more than €100 per week. Reduced rates are payable where means are over €100 and not more than €310 per week. No increase is payable where means are in excess of €310 per week.
Means tests and income thresholds are kept under regular review and a number of significant changes have been made in recent years. In particular, a number of changes to means testing which provide for higher income disregards have been introduced. These disregards ensure that, where people are in receipt of a means-tested payment from my Department and are working, a certain level of income from that work is not assessed in the means test.
A comprehensive review of means testing in the social protection system is currently under way in my Department. The purpose of the review of means testing is to look at the different means-tested schemes and to identify any issues in terms of the application of the respective means test.
The outcome of the review will inform decisions regarding any potential changes to means testing. All prospective changes to means testing arrangements will have to be considered in both an overall policy and budgetary context.
100. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection for an overview of his Budget 2026 measures to support people seeking employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62065/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn Tuesday 7th October, I announced a €1.15 billion package of new social protection measures for Budget 2026.
The Government has prioritised a number of targeted permanent measures as part of Budget 2026 to support people seeking employment. These include:
• An increase of €10 in maximum personal weekly rate of Jobseeker’s Benefit and Jobseeker’s Allowance payments from January 2026, with proportionate increases for qualified adults and people getting a reduced rate.
• The largest Child Support Payment increase in the history of the state, consisting of a weekly increase of €16 for children aged 12 and over and an increase of €8 for children under 12.
• Allowing people on Disability Allowance and Blind Pension to retain Fuel Allowance for a period of 5 years if they leave the payment to take up employment from September 2026.
• Extending the Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD) to recipients of both the Blind Pension and Disability Allowance.
• A €5 increase in the top up for Community Employment, Tús and Rural Social Scheme participants to €32.50.
• A €10 increase on current payment for Job Initiative participants.
• A Christmas bonus to be paid to over 1.47 million long-term social welfare recipients in December 2025.
• In addition, the Budget measures also provided for CE projects to claim an additional €1,000 towards their materials costs.
• It also provides a wider cohort of people with the opportunity to contribute providing services to communities while providing employment support opportunities through the implementation of recommendations of the Rural Social Scheme (RSS) Review.
The wide array of measures clearly demonstrates the huge focus the Government has placed on assisting people seeking employment.
