Written Answers Nos. 36-56
37. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department considers the condition known as long-Covid an occupational injury; and what social protection entitlements sufferers of the condition have; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15583/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn November 2023, my Department published a report on the inclusion of long COVID in the Occupational Injuries Benefit Regulations.
The report concluded that COVID-19 does not satisfy the statutory criteria for recognition as an occupational illness or accident at work. Specifically, it found that presumptions about workplace transmission would not be sustainable as it is not possible to establish with confidence that the disease has been contracted through a person’s occupation and not through community transmission. This is because data shows that community transmission was the primary means of transmission
It is important to note that, even if Ireland did recognise COVID-19 as an occupational disease, this would not encompass long COVID and would only apply to new claims for new cases of COVID-19. As such, it would not benefit those who contracted COVID-19 during the pandemic.
However, my Department's range of income supports, including Illness Benefit and Invalidity Pension, at the same or higher rates of payment as Occupational Injuries Benefit, are available to people who cannot work due to the effects of long COVID.
It is important to note that entitlement to these supports is generally not dependent on the nature of the illness or disability but on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a working age person’s capacity to work.
With regard to additional supports, my Department also provides an Additional Needs Payment under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme to help meet essential expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. This includes certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from a person’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary.
With specific reference to workers in the health services, the report found that the Temporary Scheme of Paid Leave for Public Health Service Employees was the appropriate channel through which a targeted sectoral support should be considered. This Temporary Scheme was a matter for the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, who extended it a number of times. The Scheme ended on 31 December 2025. Any employee of the public health sector remaining unwell after that date may utilise the full provisions of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme which will provide further support.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
38. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of men who applied for paternity benefit, and the number of women who applied for maternity benefit, in the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14192/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department does not collate statistics on claim processing activity by characteristics such as gender, and this information is not readily available. Statistics in respect of applications are maintained for schemes as whole. In January 2026 there were 4,328 applications for Maternity Benefit and 3,135 registrations for Paternity Benefit.
The table below details the number of applications in the past three years 2023-2025 :
|
Scheme |
Maternity Benefit |
Paternity Benefit |
|
2023 |
43,253 |
29,177 |
|
2024 |
42,434 |
29,751 |
|
2025 |
42,768 |
30,198 |
39. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of families getting the working family payment who now qualify for fuel allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15573/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraExtending Fuel Allowance eligibility to Working Family Payment recipients was a key commitment in the Programme for Government, and I was delighted to be able to introduce this extension as part of this Government’s first budget.
The Fuel Allowance payment will be expanded to those in receipt of the Working Family Payment from March 2026 and backdated to January 2026. Based on the number of people currently in receipt of the Working Family Payment it is estimated that some 50,000 households will benefit from the measure.
This measure also supports the commitment within the Programme for Government to "enhance supports for lone parents" as almost two thirds of Working Family Payment recipients are single adult households. The Government is committed to supporting children and families with targeted supports to those most in need.
Recipients of the Working Family Payment will be deemed to have satisfied the Fuel Allowance means test and the Household Composition criteria. However, to receive the Fuel Allowance payment, Working Family Payment recipients must satisfy the following conditions:
• Be legally resident in the State;
• Be awarded and in receipt of the Working Family Payment;
• Their heating needs must not be provided for in full as part of their accommodation; and
• One payment of Fuel Allowance per household rule applies.
My Department officials are continuing to work to ensure that this budget measure is implemented in March.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
40. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he will expand and promote access to the wage subsidy scheme, including consideration of its availability to Oireachtas members as employers, in order to support the recruitment and retention of people with disabilities in workplaces and public service roles, and keep them close to policy makers. [15483/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Wage Subsidy Scheme is a key disability employment support. It aims to encourage employers to offer substantial and sustainable employment to disabled people through a subsidy. In January 2026, there were 2,613 employees supported through the Wage Subsidy Scheme and 1,546 employers availing of the scheme. Expenditure on the scheme in 2025 is estimated at €22.1 million.
Initially the scheme was available to employers in the private sector only. However, as a result of a review of the scheme which my department published in 2024, last year we extended the scheme to employers in the community, voluntary and non-commercial semi-state sections. Other changes as a result of the review, included a reduction in the minimum hours requirement from 21 to 15 hours per week. Following the launch of the revamped scheme last summer we ran a public information campaign for six weeks.
In Budget 2026, I provided for a further expansion of the scheme to include people who acquire a disability while in employment and to those who transfer from Invalidity Pension to Partial Capacity Benefit. I also provided for the subsidy rates to increase from April.
The Oireachtas Work Learning programme is available for disabled people wishing to work in public service roles. This is a learning, development and socialisation programme for young adults with an intellectual disability. It is run in the Houses of the Oireachtas with partners KARE, WALK and City of Dublin Education and Training Board. Since it began in 2018, 37 young people have graduated from the programme.
My Department funds AHEAD to deliver the Willing Able Mentoring Programme. This programme has a well-established partnership with the Civil Service and a growing collaboration with Local Authorities offering placements across the country. In the past two years, 46 graduates secured placements with Civil Service departments. As a result of the route to permanency under the scheme, 33 of those participants have secured permanent Executive Officer roles. AHEAD works in collaboration with Publicjobs and the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to deliver the Civil Service element of the programme.
The provision of supports for disabled people in the public sector workplace is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation and individual public sector organisations. My Department is available to engage with colleagues around the issue of disability supports in the workplace.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
41. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of the working family payment in Dublin that will benefit from the extension of the fuel allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14953/26]
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.
Recipients of Working Family Payment (WFP) will have an entitlement to Fuel Allowance (FA), subject to qualifying conditions, from Thursday 1st January 2026, as announced in Budget 2026. The Fuel Allowance payment for eligible WFP customers will issue in March 2026 and include any arrears due.
The number of WFP recipients based in Dublin that are expected to qualify for the weekly fuel allowance payment, subject to qualifying conditions is approximately 12,320.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
42. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the rollout of the auto-enrolment pension scheme; how any initial teething problems have been managed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13794/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra86. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding supports for small businesses in relation to the auto-enrolment pension scheme; if he is conscious of the administrative and financial burden put on these businesses by this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13793/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 86 together.
MyFutureFund commenced on the 1st January 2026. All elements of the system are operating as planned. On the 1st January and since that date, based on analysis of payroll data from the Revenue Commissioners, over 763,000 employees were automatically enrolled in MyFutureFund. These employees work for approximately 105,000 employers. The scheme is now operating successfully and no major teething problems have occurred.
Payroll instructions have issued to these employers to deduct contributions from these employees' pay and to submit those details to the National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority (NAERSA). Approximately €80 million of contributions have already been collected for investment with the three contracted investment managers.
Both the employer and participant website portals are fully functional. Since the 1st December, employers have been asked to register their company, contact and payment details with NAERSA on the employer portal so that the administrative burden for them and the management of the system is made as easy as possible. Most have done that and I would urge those yet to do it to complete that simple process as soon as possible. This very high level of compliance demonstrates the importance that employers place on MyFutureFund and their aspiration to do what is right for their employees, which I commend.
The largest number of queries from the public regarding the scheme since go-live has been in respect of opting-in to the systems. Since go-live, over 5,000 opt-in requests have been processed. This represents a higher than expected level of interest in this facility. Accordingly, my officials and NAERSA are now considering the possibility of running a specific advertising campaign regarding opting in to publicise the process and its benefits to the wider public.
With regards to the burden MyFutureFund places on employers, it is important to clarify that NAERSA is doing much of the administrative work with arises from the scheme.
The system is highly automated. It is based on contributions being made by employers and employees via existing payroll systems - all of this is automated and does not require manual intervention. Consequently, employers have absolutely minimal work to do in the operation of the system. They do not need to -
• train staff to use the system,
• manage the enrolment of employees, or
• provide advice to employees.
The administrative role of employers is limited to providing their details and preferred payment method in a simple once-and-done exercise through registration on the employer portal that takes but a few minutes to complete. Thereafter their role is simply to ensure that the contributions due are paid on time.
It should also be noted that every effort has been made to ease the financial 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 MyFutureFund 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.
I hope this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
43. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which food provided under the Hot School Meals Programme is sourced from Irish producers; the current procurement criteria for suppliers under the scheme; whether Irish origin or locally sourced produce forms part of the tender assessment process; if he will consider introducing measures to prioritise Irish-produced food, in line with public procurement rules COPY; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14899/26]
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.
My Department provides the funding for food to schools. All schools who wish to avail of funding are responsible for choosing their school meals supplier on the open market, in a fair and transparent manner in accordance with public procurement rules. These rules clearly define the successful tenders responsibilities and obligations.
The Department of Education and Youth School Meals Procurement Unit with the support of the Interdepartmental Working Group on School Meals developed mandatory procurement documentation for the Hot School Meals Programme in August 2025.
The refinements to the procurement process strengthens the programme by ensuring consistent standards across all participating schools. They also reflect the combined input of several Government Departments and State agencies, ensuring that schools and providers operate safely and compliantly across areas such as food safety and health and safety. The legislation referenced in the procurement documentation is existing legislation which all food business operators would already be familiar with and legally required to comply with.
Under the Department of Education and Youth template procurement documentation it stipulates that menus must include a range of locally sourced produce along with a greater use of sustainable food, for example, in-season produce.
There is no stipulation that food should originate from Ireland only. It should be noted that under EU laws, and as reflected in public procurement rules, it cannot be specified that food must originate from a particular country. That would be in breach of EU single market rules.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
44. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he intends to ensure that any disregards, means testing and income thresholds for secondary benefits including back- to-school clothing and footwear allowance, and national childcare scheme, are automatically raised in line with any core social welfare payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15655/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn. The scheme operates from June to September each year.
In order to qualify for Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, an applicant must satisfy a number of qualifying conditions, one of which requires the applicant’s household income to be within the relevant income limits.
The Weekly Household Income Limits for 2025 and 2026 are outlined below:
|
No. of Children |
Income Limit 2025 |
Income Limit 2026 |
|
1 |
€694.00 |
€726.70 |
|
2 |
€756.00 |
€804.70 |
|
3 |
€818.00 |
€882.70 |
|
4 |
€880.00* |
€960.70** |
*Limit was increased by €62 for each additional child in 2025
** Limit is increased by €78 for each additional child in 2026
The household income includes weekly social protection payments, gross income from employment (minus employee's PRSI, auto enrolment contributions and a €20 travel allowance), and any other income the household may have.
Any income from Working Family Payment, Child Benefit, Rent Supplement, Back to Work Family Dividend, Guardian’s Payments, Domiciliary Care Allowance, Blind Welfare Allowance, Foster Care Allowance, Higher Level Education grants, or rehabilitative employment (up to €165 per week) is not assessable.
The weekly household income limits for the 2026 Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme have been increased to ensure the increases in weekly social protection payments rates introduced in Budget 2026 will not negatively impact on an individual’s entitlement to the allowance. Also, I was pleased to secure an extension to the scheme in 2026 whereby children aged 2 and 3 can also qualify for the first time this year.
In relation to Fuel Allowance, which is also a secondary benefit, the means thresholds are increased each year in line with the increase applied to the State Pension Contributory (SPC). In 2026, the rate of SPC increased by €10.00 per week to €299.30, and the income limits for Fuel Allowance for 2026 increased accordingly.
The National Childcare Scheme is administered by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
45. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to increase the top-up payment for participants on community employment schemes, TÚS, and rural social schemes in recognition of the important work they do in local communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15020/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides a range of supports and programmes catering for the long term unemployed, those most distant from the labour market and low-income farmers and fishers. These supports include programmes such as Community Employment (CE) Tús and the Rural Social Scheme (RSS). Overall, it is recognised by Government that all three schemes are positive initiatives that enables participants to make a significant contribution to their communities.
CE and Tús are employment activation measures designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis.
The RSS is an income support initiative that provides part-time employment opportunities in community and voluntary organisations for farmers or fishermen who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are underemployed in their primary occupation.
There are currently 19,665 participants on CE, 4,323 participants on Tús and 2,588 on the RSS. Government investment in these schemes will amount to over €565 million in 2026.
The weekly rate of pay on CE/Tús/RSS is determined by the underlying social welfare payment which would be payable to the participant based on their household composition and financial circumstances, plus a minimum weekly top up rate of €32.50. Participants may also be entitled to increases in respect of a qualified adult, qualified children, or the Fuel Allowance.
Decisions in relation to the appropriate level of top up payments are considered in the overall budgetary context. As you are aware, CE, Tús and RSS participants received an increase in their weekly payments arising from the increase in core social welfare payments of €10.00 per week, as part of Budget 2026 measures. Additionally, there were proportional increases for qualified adult dependents and a substantial increase in child support payments.
The top-up payment was also increased from €27.50 to €32.50 as part of Budget 2026, the first such increase since 2023.
In effect, these changes ensured that the minimum payment for participants increased from €271.50 to €286.50 per week effective from 1st January 2026.
I am fully committed to the future of employment support programmes and will continue to support and improve the schemes for the benefit of all participants, given the valuable contribution being made to local communities through the provision of services.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
47. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are plans to update the emergency response payment, recognising that apartments are becoming a significant proportion of Irish dwellings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15602/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra88. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection for clarity on the duties of landlords to tenants as regards payments made under the second HAS designation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15412/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 88 together.
The Emergency Response Payment is administered through my Department's Community Welfare Officers. The purpose of the scheme is to assist in minimising hardship by providing financial support to people whose homes are damaged from flooding and severe weather events. Apartments are not excluded from support.
Emergency Response Payments are generally made under three stages.
Stage 1 payments are made to households in the immediate aftermath of severe weather events for items such as essential food, clothing and bedding. These payments are not income tested, are based on the immediate need of the individuals impacted and are also available to persons in rented accommodation.
Stage 2 involves the replacement of white goods and basic furniture in a person's primary residence and is available to individuals in rented accommodation where the tenant is the owner of the essential household item that requires replacement. The scheme does not cover household items owned by the landlord. Landlords may be supported under the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment Emergency Humanitarian Flooding Scheme.
Stage 3 covers the cost of essential structural repairs such as plastering, dry-lining, relaying of floors, electrical re-wiring and painting, once the property is owned, occupied and lived in as the applicant’s primary residence.
Unlike stage 1 payments, stage 2 and stage 3 payments are subject to income tests. The scheme is not intended to be a compensation scheme for losses that should be covered by household insurance. This is important to ensure that people who have resources do not use the State as a default insurer.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.
48. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the progress in extending illness benefit to the self-employed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14228/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIllness Benefit is the primary short term income support provided by my Department to those who are unable to work due to illness of any type and who are covered by social insurance. Eligibility for Illness Benefit depends on the person’s PRSI record and class. The person must have made the required number of contributions under class A, E, H or P to qualify. In general, self-employed people make PRSI contributions at class S which does not provide entitlement to Illness Benefit.
Self-employed contributors pay class S PRSI at a rate of 4.2%. This is 11.25 percentage points lower than the combined employer and employee contribution of 15.45% made in respect of employed contributors. However, self-employed contributors do have access to over 90% of benefits available to employed contributors. The only benefits that class S PRSI does not provide access to are Health and Safety Benefit, Illness Benefit and Occupational Injuries Benefits. Self-employed contributors who are ill may qualify for Invalidity Pension.
The Programme for Government includes an action to explore the option of giving self-employed workers access to Illness Benefit by means of making a higher PRSI contribution. My Department has commenced work in this regard and this proposal will be progressed over the lifetime of the Government.
Any changes to the current system would need to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
49. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount his Department spent on child-related payments in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14958/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department's published accounts group expenditure under eight broad categories:
• Administration
• Pensions
• Working age income supports
• Working age employment supports
• Illness Disability and Carers
• Children
• Supplementary Payments Miscellaneous Services and Payments to Agencies
• Auto-Enrolment
The Children category funds targeted-supports to low income families with children, through schemes including Working Family Payment and Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance. The universal Child Benefit payment is also funded under this category.
While the accounts for 2025 have not yet been finalised, the provisional expenditure on schemes within the Children category is €2.99 billion.
My Department also provides further assistance to low-income families with children through the Child Support Payment on primary social welfare payments. This expenditure is included within the individual scheme totals in my Department's accounts, and is not reported separately.
50. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review changes made to access to community welfare officers in light of the difficulties being experienced in accessing same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14227/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe delivery of crucial and locally based community welfare services to meet the challenges and the needs of people across the country is a priority for me and for my department. The Community Welfare Service (CWS) continues to provide a flexible service to meet the different needs of people, who may find themselves in a financially difficult or vulnerable situation. It is important that this service is easily accessible and responsive to our client’s needs.
I do not want any situation where those who need it are experiencing difficulties accessing the CWS. As such, I have asked my officials to host an information session on the Community Welfare Service for all Oireachtas members. This will take place on Wednesday, March 4th. I will ensure that the Deputy has the details of this.
Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) are physically on site daily in over 51 Intreo Centres across the country where they are available to be seen without an appointment, during business hours, Monday to Friday. There are 50 additional locations with services available on a part-time or appointment basis to meet customers' needs. In addition to meeting people in Intreo Centres and DSP offices, CWOs can facilitate an appointment within a short time of a person requiring such a meeting, at a mutually agreed location, including at the person's home. These arrangements ensure people who need a service have comprehensive options for accessing the service in person.
While local face-to-face engagement with people continues to be a cornerstone of the community welfare service, it is important to mention that a person does not need to meet with a CWO to make an application. Any person who needs to access the CWS can call the National CWS freephone number at 0818 60 70 80, to make an appointment or to speak directly to a CWO.
A person can speak with a CWO over the phone if they do not wish to travel to meet with a CWO in person. There is a high uptake of this service which allows people to have their needs met without the requirement to travel. Furthermore, the introduction of the online claim facility via www.mywelfare.ie also means that customers can now submit a claim for an Additional Needs Payment online which will receive a decision by a CWO.
Where it is clear that a person has an urgent or immediate need, every effort is made to ensure that the claim is processed on the same day. CWOs are very experienced and can generally assess when a case is so urgent that it requires an immediate response. They have the facility to issue a same-day cheque payment to people who present to CWOs in person each week receive a manual cheque payment on the day that they attend.
The Department monitors operations and access to the service on a continuous basis to ensure that the services remain responsive, efficient, and accessible to all who need them. As part of this ongoing oversight, they continuously monitor the progress of claims and maintain detailed oversight of any outstanding cases to ensure they advance without undue delay. The CWS NICC telephone service is also closely monitored so that call answer rates remain high, and any issues arising are followed up promptly. Engagement with the online Additional Needs Payment (ANP) application continues to grow, reflecting the increasing number of customers choosing to access the service digitally.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
51. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the exclusion of self-employed workers from illness benefit, despite their payment of PRSI. [15646/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIllness Benefit is the primary short term income support provided by my Department to those who are unable to work due to illness of any type and who are covered by social insurance. Eligibility for Illness Benefit depends on the person’s PRSI record and class. The person must have made the required number of contributions under class A, E, H or P to qualify. In general, self-employed people make PRSI contributions at class S which does not provide entitlement to Illness Benefit.
Self-employed contributors pay class S PRSI at a rate of 4.2%. This is 11.25 percentage points lower than the combined employer and employee contribution of 15.45% made in respect of employed contributors. However, self-employed contributors do have access to over 90% of benefits available to employed contributors.
The only benefits that class S PRSI does not provide access to are Health and Safety Benefit, Illness Benefit and Occupational Injuries Benefits. Self-employed contributors who are ill may qualify for Invalidity Pension.
In circumstances where people are ill but do not qualify for Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension, my Department provides means tested supports under the Disability Allowance scheme and the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme. An Additional Needs Payment may also be available to people who have expenses that they cannot pay from their weekly income.
The Programme for Government includes an action to explore the option of giving self-employed workers access to Illness Benefit by means of making a higher PRSI contribution. My Department has commenced work in this regard and this proposal will be progressed over the lifetime of the Government.
Any changes to the current system would need to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
52. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will examine the need for set clinic times for the community welfare officer in Tubbercurry, County Sligo, given the difficulties faced by people seeking urgent assistance; if he will consider establishing a community welfare office in Ballymote, County Sligo, to ensure local access to supports for those without transport, financial means, or childcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15291/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe delivery of crucial and locally based community welfare services to meet the challenges and the needs of people across the country is a priority for me and for my department. The Community Welfare Service (CWS) continues to provide a flexible service to meet the different needs of people, who may find themselves in a financially difficult or vulnerable situation. It is important that this service is easily accessible and responsive to our client’s needs. I do not want any situation where those who need it are experiencing difficulties accessing the CWS. As such, I have asked my officials to host an information session on the Community Welfare Service for all Oireachtas members. This will take place on Wednesday, March 4th. I will ensure that the Deputy has the details of this.
CWOs are physically on site daily in over 51 Intreo Centres across the country where they are available to be seen without an appointment, during business hours, Monday to Friday. There are 50 additional locations with services available on a part-time or appointment basis to meet customers' needs. Customers can access Community Welfare Services in any location and are not restricted to accessing these services at their local office. In addition to meeting people in Intreo Centres and DSP offices, CWOs can facilitate an appointment within a short time of a person requiring such a meeting, at a mutually agreed location, including at the person's home or indeed where facilities are in place, at their local Social Welfare Branch Office. These arrangements ensure people who need a service have comprehensive options for accessing the service in person.
While local face-to-face engagement with people continues to be a cornerstone of the community welfare service, it is important to mention that a person does not need to meet with a CWO to make an application and any person who needs to access the CWS can call the National CWS freephone number at 0818 60 70 80, to make an appointment or to speak directly to a CWO. A person can speak with a CWO over the phone if they do not wish to travel to meet with a CWO in person. There is a high uptake of this service which allows people to have their needs met without the requirement to travel.
A CWO is available to meet with customers, living in the Tubbercurry Co Sligo area during business hours every Tuesday and Thursday at the Tubbercurry Branch Office. In addition to this service, customers can also attend the Sligo Town Intreo Centre which operates Monday to Friday.
Customers in Ballymote, Co Sligo can be seen in either Sligo Town Intreo Centre, Tubbercurry Branch Office, or Boyle CWS Office. Public transport links are available from Ballymote to all locations. In addition to this and as outlined above, any person who requires a home visit can be facilitated.
Where it is clear that a person has an urgent or immediate need, every effort is made to ensure that the claim is processed on the same day. CWOs are very experienced and can generally assess when a case is so urgent that it requires an immediate response.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
54. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which he is enhancing application processes within his Department, and providing additional resources where necessary to ensure that individuals receive decisions on their applications in a timely manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15050/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers, ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement for all payments are made as quickly as possible. My Department is also committed to the delivery of 90% of applicable services online by 2030 and follows a digital by desire approach to digital services adoption. In developing online services, my officials work with customers and advocacy groups to ensure that when services are launched, they are simple and intuitive to use, thereby enhancing the application process for the customer.
Processing times vary across schemes, depending on the different qualification criteria. Means-tested payments can require more detailed investigation and interaction with the applicant, thereby lengthening the decision-making process. Delays can occur if a claim is submitted and all the necessary supporting documentation is not included. If information is required from a social security organisation in another jurisdiction, this can also affect processing times. The vast majority of the department’s service metrics are achieved or exceeded, with external customer satisfaction surveys reporting high and improving levels of satisfaction.
To help my Department to make timely and fair decisions on all applications, applicants should ensure that they complete the application forms fully, providing all the supporting documentation required as per the checklist provided on the application forms. In cases where there is an urgent need for assistance a person may make an application for supplementary welfare allowance while waiting for a decision on their claim for another social welfare payment.
I wish to reassure the Deputy that claim processing is kept under active review, with all possible steps taken to improve processing times and customer service. This includes the assignment of additional resources, where available, and the review of business processes, to ensure the efficient processing of applications.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
55. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the action being taken by his Department, in liaison with other Government departments, to increase the level of participation in the workforce of those with disabilities, including the WSS, work and access, employability, workability and other relevant schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15518/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s Intreo service is a single point of contact for all employment and income supports in the State. Disabled people seeking employment can access mainstream employment and training opportunities and schemes such as the Work Placement Experience Programme, Community Employment and Tús.
Intreo staff can also refer disabled customers to tailored supports such as Employability. Employability is a service that offers a professional job-matching service, on-going support and advice and information on employment supports for disabled people. It also acts as a recruitment advice service for the business community and provides employers with access to a pool of potential employees.
In December 2023, my Department established the WorkAbility programme. It is co-financed with the EU Employment, Inclusion, Skills, and Training Programme. This programme aims to support disabled people into employment through 57 local, regional and national projects. The programme aims to support over 13,000 disabled people progress their training and employment ambitions over five years.
In July 2024, the Department launched a new scheme called Work and Access. This scheme offers seven supports to improve access in the workplace for people with a disability. Funding is available for communication supports, work equipment, workplace adaptations and training. Jobseekers, employees, self-employed people and employers may apply for supports both for the business premises and remote workplaces.
The Wage Subsidy Scheme supports employers to hire disabled people through a subsidy. A number of changes to the scheme were introduced following a review of the scheme. In particular, the minimum number of hours from 21 to 15 per week and the expansion to the voluntary, community and non commercial semi-state sectors. Budget 2026 provided for a further expansion in eligibility from January 2026 and an increase in the subsidy rates from April of this year.
In July 2022, my Department launched Early Engagement. The scheme aims to proactively engage disabled people in a ‘return to work’ process in the early stages of disability or illness. All engagement is on a voluntary basis. Since the commencement of Early Engagement, Intreo staff have reached out to over 39,500 customers. Approximately 3,700 customers were referred to just over 5,000 further education and training opportunities, Employability, job vacancies and employment support schemes.
Under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, my Department, along with the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment is leading the employment pillar. The Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation is also responsible for actions within the pillar. Over the lifetime of the Strategy departments will work together to raise awareness of existing supports and to improve access to the workplace for disabled people.
I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
56. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to the introduction of a support payment for those who are required to take leave due to a miscarriage or early pregnancy loss; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15524/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraPregnancy loss is a tragedy for families and the legislation does provide for Maternity Leave and Benefit to be available to mothers who experience a stillbirth where the child weighs no less than 400 grammes or has a gestational age of not less than 23 weeks.
The Department of Children, Disability and Equality has policy and legal responsibility for the introduction of any leave for miscarriage or pregnancy loss, beyond that already covered. The introduction of an associated benefit would then be considered in consultation between my Department and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
