Written Answers Nos. 121-140
121. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider introducing an automatic or simplified transition mechanism for children who meet the criteria for domiciliary care allowance to continue receiving support through disability allowance at the age of 16; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62168/25]
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 for Domiciliary Care Allowance ceases 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 right of €244 per week. If their parent or guardian continues to provide full-time care they can then retain, or apply for, a carer's payment. However, Domiciliary Care Allowance and Disability Allowance are designed for different purposes.
Domiciliary Care Allowance is a payment to assist parents who have a child whose care needs are greater than that of other children of the same age. Eligibility is not means tested or based on social insurance contributions.
Disability Allowance is a means-tested income support payment for people whose illness or disability means that they are substantially restricted from doing work that would be suitable for a person of their age, experience and qualifications. As such, the eligibility conditions for the schemes are different and it would not be appropriate to introduce a system whereby a person was simply moved directly from one scheme to the other on reaching age 16.
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.
122. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if under the new rules for the rural social scheme, if a person from a rural area with no distinct ties to farming or fishing, but living in the rural area, qualify; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62021/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is an income support scheme that provides part-time employment opportunities for farmers and fishers in receipt of specified social welfare payments, and who are underemployed in their primary occupation. The valuable work undertaken by participants draws on their existing skills which may be further developed and shared throughout their participation.
My Department undertook a review of RSS, published in July 2024, to examine the role of the scheme, its ongoing relevance to the changing landscape, the funding and resourcing required along with the appropriate governance and management arrangements. The final report included recommendations to address the sustainability of the RSS to continue to support rural communities.
In that regard, I recently announced that eligibility to participate in RSS will be extended on a pilot basis to include rural dwellers who are 50 years or over, in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment and whose primary residence is in a rural area. Rural dwellers are defined as people living in all parts of Ireland with the exception of the areas within the boundaries of the five main cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, and Galway. This rural dweller pilot will be available from 1st January 2026 where a maximum of 250 RSS placements will be ring-fenced from within the existing national allocation of RSS placements.
The introduction of the rural dweller pilot to allow those not engaged in farming or fishing to access the RSS and thus ensuring key local services continue to be delivered in rural communities.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
123. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Social Protection the action he is taking to support pensioners living alone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62067/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraPrimary weekly social welfare payments are intended to enable recipients to meet their basic day-to-day income needs. Payments available to those over 66 include the State Pension (Contributory), State Pension (Non-Contributory) and the Bereaved Partners' Contributory Pension.
The rate of primary and secondary payments to pensioners, and their adequacy, are considered in the context of the annual budgetary process. In doing so, the Government considers evidence from a wide range of sources, including agencies such as the CSO, and also research submitted by advocacy groups such as the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice, which has a measure they call the “Minimum Essential Standard of Living (MESL)”.
The data shows that the cost of living for a single person is slightly more than the individualized cost of two people living together. For this reason, the Living Alone Increase is available to those in receipt of qualifying payments. The Living Alone Increase is currently paid at €22 per week.
There are a number of additional supports in the social welfare system which may further benefit a pensioner living alone:
• People in receipt of a Pension may also be eligible for the Household Benefits Package.
• A person in receipt of a Pension may also qualify to receive Fuel Allowance, subject to the conditions of the scheme, including a means test. The weekly rate of payment increased in Budget 2026 to €38 per week.
• A person in receipt of a Pension and who qualifies for both the Living Alone Allowance and the Fuel Allowance will automatically qualify for the Telephone Support Allowance. This payment aims to help those living alone with the cost of communications and/or home alert security systems.
Furthermore, under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or other personal and household resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
124. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps being taken by his Department to improve access to training and upskilling opportunities for jobseekers, particularly those who have been long-term unemployed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61550/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraJobseekers engaging with Intreo Employment Services can avail of a number of avenues into training and upskilling. My Department works closely with the Department of Further and Higher Education and SOLAS to address barriers in, and increase uptake of further education and training. In Pathways To Work 2021-2025, the national employment services strategy, the Government committed to providing up to 50,000 Further Education and Training (FET) placements for long-term unemployed jobseekers.
From the strategy’s launch to June 2025 there have been 173,185 Long-Term Unemployed learner commencements of FET courses, of which 71,885 were unique learners. In that same period 27,213 people have been referred from Intreo to take up FET courses.
My Department supports jobseekers in further and higher education through the Back to Education Allowance, the Part Time Education Option (PTEO) and the Education Training and Development (EDT) option to raise educational and skill levels to help participants access the labour market.
The Part Time Education Option enables people in receipt of a jobseeker payment to attend part-time day/evening courses of education or training with the approval of their Employment Personal Advisor. They must continue to satisfy the conditions of being available and genuinely seeking full time work.
The EDT option allows those in receipt of a jobseeker payment, with the approval of their Employment Personal Advisor, to continue receiving their payment while attending certain short education, training or development courses. The normal eligibility conditions for their payment continue to apply.
The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) provides income support to jobseekers who wish to enter a full-time FET course to improve their skills and assist them in finding quality employment.
The Training Support Grant (TSG) is available to jobseekers to fund short-term training and certification up to €1,000 per annum. The Grant allows Employment Personal Advisors/Job Coaches to identify and address skills and certification gaps among jobseekers that prevent them from taking up an offer of employment. Jobseekers on employment schemes such as Community Employment and Back to Work Enterprise Allowance are also eligible for Springboard+ courses.
125. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in Counties Carlow and Kilkenny that will benefit from the changes in criteria for the fuel allowance announced in Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62025/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn Budget 2026, it was announced that Working Family Payment will become a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance from March 2026. As of the end of October 2025, there are 665 people in Carlow and 871 in Kilkenny who are receiving Working Family Payment and are not living in a household where a Fuel Allowance is in payment. These recipients will potentially become eligible to receive Fuel Allowance in 2026, provided they fulfill the conditions for the payment.
It was also announced that from September 2026, people who move from Disability Allowance or Blind Person's Pension to take up work will be able to keep their Fuel Allowance for 5 years. As of the end of October 2025, there were 1,309 persons in Carlow and 1,616 persons in Kilkenny receiving Fuel Allowance on either Disability Allowance or Blind Person's Pension who could potentially benefit from this.
126. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people with disabilities currently in employment; the action he is taking to address the low rate of individuals with disabilities in the workforce; and the supports he will put in place to ensure equality for those with disabilities. [61901/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAccording to Census 2022, 49.3% of people with disabilities of working age were in employment. My Department provides a range of programmes and schemes to enable access to the workplace for disabled people, with the aim of increasing the employment participation rate of disabled people.
My Department's Intreo service is a single point of contact for all employment and income supports in the State. Disabled people can make an appointment to meet with a Designated Disability Employment Personal Advisor to discuss employment and training options. They can access mainstream employment schemes such as Community Employment and Tús as well as referral to tailored supports such as Employability.
My Department launched a new scheme called Work and Access in July 2024. This scheme offers seven supports that addresses barriers to the workplace and make it more accessible. Funding is available for communication supports, work coaches, workplace adaptations as well as disability equality and inclusion training.
The Wage Subsidy Scheme supports employers to hire disabled people through a subsidy. In August 2024, my Department published a review of the scheme to make it more accessible and flexible. As a result, the minimum hours for the scheme were reduced from 21 to 15 hours. In June this year, we launched the revamped scheme.
Budget 2026 has provided for a further expansion to people who acquire a disability while in employment and to those who transfer from Invalidity Pension to Partial Capacity Benefit and provided for an increase in the subsidy rates.
The Department’s disability-related schemes and employment supports have been structured to support recipients to pursue employment opportunities. Specifically with regard to Disability Allowance the earnings disregard has increased by almost 38% since Budget 2021 from €120 to €165 currently.
This enables those in receipt of Disability Allowance to earn more without having a negative impact on their means tested payment. This means that people can earn up to €165 per week and keep their payment in full and can earn up to €517.60 per week and keep a portion of their payment.
As a result of Budget 2026, people moving from Disability Allowance or Blind Pension to take up work will keep their Fuel Allowance for up to five years, from September 2026. The Back to Work Family Dividend is also being extended to people moving from Disability Allowance or Blind Pension who have children.
The Government is committed to supporting disabled people into work and we recognise that more needs to be done to address the low rate of individuals with disabilities in the workforce. The Programme for Government commits to expanding successful programmes like Work and Access and to work with employers and across Government to improve employment of disabled people.
In addition, the Government recently launched the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030. This strategy prioritises a cross-government approach and my Department, alongside the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment will lead the employment pillar, focused on improving access to the workplace for all disabled people.
These commitments will be advanced over the lifetime of the Government in light of the prevailing policy and budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
127. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection for an overview of his Budget 2026 measures to support one-parent families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62068/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraBudget 2026 included a range of measures that will benefit lone parents, such as:
• A €10 per week increase to the personal rate of the One-Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment. The increases will directly benefit some 113,000 children whose parents are in receipt of these payments.
• The largest ever increase in the Child Support Payment, which increased by €8 for children aged under 12, (a 16% increase), and €16 for children aged over 12 (a 26% increase). This change will bring the rate of the Child Support Payment to €58 for children aged under 12 and €78 for children aged over 12. Child Support Payment is payable with most primary payments, including One Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker's Transitional Payment.
• Expansion of the Back-To-School Clothing and Footwear Payment, to 2 and 3 year olds.
• A €60 increase to the Working Family Payment income thresholds. Almost two thirds of recipients of this payment are lone parent households.
• Eligibility for the Fuel Allowance is to be expanded to those in receipt of the Working Family Payment (to be implemented from March 2026, payments will be backdated to January 2026).
• The Fuel Allowance payment is to increase by €5 per week (an increase of more than 15%) to €38 per week. This increase will provide recipients with an additional €140 during the annual fuel allowance season.
• Christmas Bonus will be paid in December 2025, to almost 1.5 million customers, including those in receipt of the One Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment.
• Other measures introduced, for example, with regards to caring and disability supports will also benefit lone parents, depending on individual family circumstances.
128. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports his Department has in place for over 65s in relation to heating supports coming into the winter; if his Department will ensure that a campaign is rolled out to make people aware of their entitlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62251/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides direct support towards energy costs to qualifying low-income households, including to those aged over 65, through schemes such as the Fuel Allowance Scheme, Household Benefits Package as wells as through Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme.
The Fuel Allowance Scheme is means tested and assists pensioners and other welfare dependent householders with meeting the cost of their heating needs during the winter season.
The Household Benefits Package is universally available to those aged 70 and older, and those between 66 and 70, must meet certain qualifying criteria. The Household Benefits comprises the Electricity/Gas Allowance of €35 per month and the Free Television Licence Scheme which is worth €160 per year with a total value per year of €580.
My department also provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme. My department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or other personal and household resources. The payment is available to anyone who needs it and qualifies, whether the person is currently receiving a social welfare payment or working on a low income.
Any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office. In addition, applications can be made online via www.mywelfare.ie.
I can confirm that a communications campaign is currently underway to raise awareness of fuel supports and other entitlements available to those aged over 65 in advance of the winter period. This includes targeted messaging across social media and updates to the www.gov.ie/en/department-of-social-protection/services/fuel-allowance/, as well as a www.gov.ie/en/department-of-social-protection/press-releases/minister-calleary-announces-commencement-of-fuel-allowance-season/ issued highlighting key supports and encouraging those eligible to engage with the department on 19 September 2025.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
129. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection for an overview of his Budget 2026 measures to support people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62057/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraBudget 2026 contains significant 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 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.
• 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 rate to €380 per month from January 2026.
These measures build on the progress made in recent years. Over the last five budgets the weekly payment rates for disability and carer's payments have increased by €51. The earnings disregard for Disability Allowance and Blind Pension has increased by almost 38% since Budget 2021 from €120 to €165 currently. A person availing for the Disability Allowance earnings disregard can earn up to €517.60 a week and still keep their entitlement to the minimum rate of payment and their secondary benefits.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
130. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration is being given to reflecting inflation in the means test calculation for certain State benefits, such as the non-contributory State pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62212/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe purpose of the means test is to ensure that resources are directed to those with the greatest need for income supports by the State.
The means test takes account of the income a person or couple has in terms of cash, property – other than the family home – and capital.
Applying a means-test ensures that the recipient has an income need and that scarce resources are targeted to those with the greatest need. This approach supports an economically efficient and socially equitable allocation of scarce resources.
My Department is currently reviewing means testing across all its social assistance schemes. I am due to receive this review shortly and I can assure the Deputy that I will consider it carefully. 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.
131. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection if there will be an accommodation in the auto enrolment my future fund to include pre-school staff that only work part of the year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62014/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra348. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which those who fall outside the age and earning threshold of the My Future fund can opt in; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62297/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 348 together.
The 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.
Current and new employees aged between 23 and 60 years of age and earning €20,000 or above per annum (across all employments) who are not already in an approved supplementary pension scheme will be automatically enrolled into the new retirement savings system. Determinations of enrolment will be made in accordance with Section 50 of the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Act 2024 by the National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority (NAERSA) that has been established to operate the system. NAERSA will do this using a pay reference period of 13 weeks on a continuous rolling basis, so the earnings threshold for that period will be €5,000. Those who fall outside the age and earnings threshold so those aged between 18 and 23 or between 60 and 66, and/or earn below €20,000 per annum will have a legal right to join the new retirement savings system voluntarily by opting in.
If pre-school staff who only work part of the year meet the eligibility criteria during any pay reference period, then they will be auto enrolled. If they do not, they may opt in to My Future Fund.
It should be noted that opt ins will be facilitated through an online portal and will be processed by NAERSA. Employers do not have any role in processing opt ins. Moreover, it will be an offence for an employer to hinder an employee from participating in My Future Fund where that employee has a legal right to do so.
I hope this clarifies matters for the Deputies.
132. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection to present the number of payments made in each county under the humanitarian assistance scheme following storm Éowyn last year; the number of applications declined; the number of applications for which a decision is yet to be made; the total amount paid out, the average payment made per county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62171/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Humanitarian Assistance Scheme, administered by my Department through the local Community Welfare Services (CWS), was activated on Thursday 23 January 2025 to assist householders affected across the country by Storm Éowyn.
The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (HAS) is operated in 3 stages. The majority of payments made to people to date as a result of Storm Éowyn have been Stage 1, to meet the additional cost of feeding their families in the immediate aftermath of the storm where people remained without power and/or water. The scheme does not provide a general compensation payment for damage or losses incurred as a consequence of a weather event.
As of 30 September 2025, I can advise that 96,449 claims for the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme have been registered and 58,457 claims have been awarded, with over €14.17 million being paid in respect of Storm Éowyn related claims. The average value of awarded claims is €242.43. There are currently 98 applications yet to be decided upon.
There are 37,894 applicants, whose claims have been decided and have not been awarded a payment in respect of Storm Éowyn. My Department continues to accept and process requests for a review of a decision. Review requests are undertaken by a Review Officer. The review process may lead to a fresh examination of the initial decision made or include further contact/engagement with the customer and/or a requirement for additional supporting information or evidence to be provided, in order to assist the Review Officer with their consideration of the review request reasons.
The table below provides details up to 30 September 2025 outlining the number of claims registered, awarded and the average HAS payout for Storm Éowyn per county.
|
County |
Claims Registered |
Claims Awarded |
Total Payout |
Average Payout |
|
Carlow |
20 |
5 |
€901.50 |
€180.30 |
|
Cavan |
7168 |
4281 |
€1,029,242.11 |
€240.42 |
|
Clare |
3935 |
2066 |
€433,061.62 |
€209.61 |
|
Cork |
143 |
53 |
€13,682.05 |
€258.15 |
|
Donegal |
1742 |
1018 |
€204,657.73 |
€201.04 |
|
Dublin |
338 |
125 |
€25,074.61 |
€200.60 |
|
Galway |
31902 |
19771 |
€4,949,378.74 |
€250.34 |
|
Kerry |
124 |
44 |
€14,713.50 |
€334.40 |
|
Kildare |
342 |
185 |
€42,304.24 |
€228.67 |
|
Kilkenny |
16 |
7 |
€1,545.00 |
€220.71 |
|
Laois |
58 |
23 |
€6,990.51 |
€303.94 |
|
Leitrim |
4556 |
3223 |
€955,988.15 |
€296.61 |
|
Limerick |
437 |
200 |
€40,321.51 |
€201.61 |
|
Longford |
6264 |
3816 |
€831,512.57 |
€217.90 |
|
Louth |
324 |
143 |
€35,103.45 |
€245.48 |
|
Mayo |
17866 |
10582 |
€2,400,516.09 |
€226.85 |
|
Meath |
1050 |
586 |
€137,809.90 |
€235.17 |
|
Monaghan |
3772 |
2028 |
€409,592.25 |
€201.97 |
|
Offaly |
731 |
408 |
€87,481.10 |
€214.41 |
|
Other |
28 |
2 |
€165.00 |
€82.50 |
|
Roscommon |
9024 |
6133 |
€1,643,969.00 |
€268.05 |
|
Sligo |
3630 |
2172 |
€570,000.33 |
€262.43 |
|
Tipperary |
213 |
87 |
€18,267.73 |
€209.97 |
|
Waterford |
12 |
3 |
€550.00 |
€183.33 |
|
Westmeath |
2669 |
1458 |
€311,769.35 |
€213.83 |
|
Wexford |
41 |
23 |
€4,963.00 |
€215.78 |
|
Wicklow |
44 |
15 |
€2,187.50 |
€145.83 |
|
Total |
96449 |
58457 |
€14,171,748.54 |
|
Inconsistencies or differences in payment awards can be attributed to the variety of claims received. Every individual application is assessed based on the information provided by the applicant in relation to their household composition, the length of time they were without power, and details of any additional costs (other than food) incurred. The amount an individual person receives depends on their individual circumstances and the eligibility of their request under HAS.
The Community Welfare Service continues to engage and provide supports under the scheme to householders. Stages 2 and 3 of the HAS remain open and my Department continues to currently accept applications. Stage 2/3 payments are subject to an income test.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
133. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider a provision to allow individuals in exceptional circumstance applying for a means tested payment to be assessed without their partner's income, in particular in cases of domestic abuse where a person may be trying to save money to leave their partner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62243/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraTackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is a major priority for the Government. The Programme for Government includes a number of commitments in this regard. Establishing a zero-tolerance approach to domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence is vital for safeguarding individuals and promoting a safer society. We will ensure the implementation of the actions in the Zero Tolerance Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence and develop a successor strategy.
While many of the Programme for Government commitments fall within the remit of my colleague the Minister for Justice and other Ministers, this is an issue that requires a whole of Government approach. For that reason, the Programme for Government also includes a commitment to “examine how the social protection system can better support people fleeing domestic violence.” My Department will progress this work, including exploring options as to how we can support the travel needs of people fleeing domestic violence. Officials undertaking this work will engage with stakeholders and will take on board lessons from other jurisdictions.
My Department already has provisions in places in the Rent Supplement Scheme to assist those fleeing domestic violence. Access to Rent Supplement is via a fast-track approval process to assist with short term accommodation needs. The standard Rent Supplement means test does not apply for an initial three-month period. After three months, a further three-month extension may be provided, subject to the usual rent supplement means assessment. The simplified means test ensures immediate access to this support.
I will ask my Department officials to consider the proposal outlined by the Deputy. Any prospective changes to means testing arrangements will have to be considered in both an overall policy and budgetary context.
134. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of families currently in receipt of the working family payment; the number of recipients per family size; the average payment made per family, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62172/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraWorking Family Payment is a weekly in-work support which provides an income support for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment, the customer must be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment and have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them.
Please see below table provided with breakdown of Working Family Payment recipients by family size and average weekly rate of payment at the end of October 2025.
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of Children |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
|
Number of WFP Recipients |
19,590 |
16,932 |
8,737 |
3,232 |
980 |
336 |
105 |
76 |
|
% Recipients |
39.19% |
33.87% |
17.48% |
6.47% |
1.96% |
0.67% |
0.21% |
0.15% |
|
Average Weekly WFP Payment |
€ 147.25 |
€ 175.50 |
€ 204.06 |
€ 230.00 |
€ 275.56 |
€ 347.18 |
€ 436.83 |
€ 465.11 |
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
135. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm that consideration will be given to introducing a pay-related maternity benefit, based on the woman’s current earnings so that they do not experience a sudden drop in income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62177/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government commits to ‘Introduce Pay-Related Parent's Benefit and explore other payments where a similar model could be applied.’ While the initial focus is on Parent’s Benefit, the development of this scheme will help to inform the considerations around extension of a pay-related approach for other family leave benefits.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
136. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for his Department’s decision to remove the credit option for the household benefits package from December; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61451/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Household Benefits Package (HBP) comprises of the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. The package is generally available to people living in the State aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test. The package is also available to some people under the age of 66, who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments.
The decision to remove the credit payment option on the HBP for new customers from September 2025 has been taken following an examination of customer behaviour and trends over several years. An increasing number of new customers were opting for the cash payment option even where the credit payment option was available. The credit payment option will remain for those customers who already receive their payment in this way as long as there is no change in their circumstances.
The decision also ensures that customers of all domestic energy providers are treated equally, and that no supplier would have a perceived advantage over competitors in the domestic energy market. This was a concern previously raised by the some energy providers and Commission for Regulation of Utilities. The decision also means that Household Benefits Package customers can move freely between energy providers, thereby taking advantage of the best deals in the energy market, without there being any change in the way their HBP payments are made.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
137. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures her Department is taking to assist low- and middle-income households struggling with the rising cost of living, particularly in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61549/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is very aware of the impact of the increased cost of living pressures on low and middle income households. Budget 2026 therefore focused on targeting supports to those most in need.
Next year my Department will invest a total of €28.9 billion in social welfare in 2026, including over €1.15 billion of new measures targeted to assist households and €320 million to reduce child poverty.
Key Budget 2026 measures include:
• The largest Child Support Payment increase in the history of the State, with increases of €8 for children under 12 and €16 for children aged 12 and over. These increases will benefit over 300,000 children and bring the weekly payments up to €58 and €78 respectively.
• A €60 increase in Working Family Payment income thresholds for all families. This will result in the 48,000 families currently in receipt of this payment receiving an extra €36 weekly. In addition, it will allow more low-income families to become eligible for this payment.
• From January 2026 all households in receipt of the Working Family Payment will qualify for Fuel Allowance.
• A €5 increase in the Fuel Allowance rate.
• An expansion of the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance to children aged 2 and 3 for eligible participants.
• A €20 increase in the Domiciliary Care Allowance.
• Record increases in the Carer’s Allowance weekly income disregard, with an increase of €375 to €1,000 for a single person, and an increase of €750 to €2,000 for a couple. The income limit for Carer’s Benefit will also increase by €375 to €1,000 per week. These changes will take effect from July 2026.
• To support people with a disability to transition into employment, 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.
• A €10 increase in weekly social welfare payments
• A Christmas bonus to be paid to over 1.47 million long-term social welfare recipients.
The combined effect of these measures will work to protect people most at risk of poverty and support families with children, older people, carers, people with disabilities and jobseekers in communities across the country.
138. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools who have refused to take up the offer of a hot school meal; the attempts his Department have made to change this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62023/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe School Meals Programme is not mandatory for schools. The decision to apply lies with the school principal and board of management. There were some 300 schools who had not expressed an interest to join the programme at the end of the 2024/2025 academic year. My officials have engaged with these schools to ascertain the reasons why. The main reason given was due to a lack of demand from parents for the programme.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
139. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of hours spent implementing the means-test for carer’s allowance; the cost of this work to implement the means test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62182/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraCarer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that, as a result, they require that level of care.
There are currently 103,696 people in receipt of CA and the projected expenditure for 2025 is approximately €1.24 billion.
In general, social welfare schemes with a number of complex qualifying conditions such as CA can take longer to process. For example, to qualify for CA the carer must show that they are habitually resident in the State, that they are providing full-time care and attention to a person who requires this level of care, and that their means are less than the statutory limit.
The time taken to process an application is also dependent on the information available. Some applications require more detailed investigation and interaction with the customer and this can further lengthen the timeframe for processing.
As a result of the many variables outlined above, the information requested by the Deputy is not available.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
