Written Answers Nos. 517-532
517. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing child benefit by 10% and extending payment to all children aged 18 years or under, including those in the international protection process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51273/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraChild Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children up to the age of 16 years. Currently, the payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 19th birthday where they are in full-time education or have a disability.
Child Benefit is currently in payment in respect of approximately 1.3 million children with an estimated expenditure of €2.2 billion for 2026. The cost of increasing Child Benefit by 10% would result in additional annual expenditure on the scheme of approximately €212.7 million based on the estimated number of recipients in 2026. It should be noted that this estimate is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients.
Where a child has a disability, Child Benefit continues to be payable until the child's 19th birthday whether or not the child is in full-time education. Otherwise, 16, 17 and 18 year olds must be in full time education in order for the payment to continue.
As of May 2026, my Department's records indicate there were approximately 16,000 16 up to 19 year olds whose Child Benefit payments had stopped as there was no evidence they were in full time education. Extending Child Benefit to these individuals, assuming that they were all single births, would therefore cost approximately €27 million annually at the current rate of payment.
To receive Child Benefit in Ireland, parents must be habitually resident in the State. Applicants for International Protection do not satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition and are therefore not eligible for Child Benefit.
The international protection process is the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. My Department does, however, administer the Daily Expenses Allowance, which is paid to international protection applicants who reside in accommodation provided by the International Protection Accommodation Services, in order to meet incidental, personal expenses. As of June 2026 the Daily Expense Allowance was supporting 6,925 children.
Assuming that each child recipient of the Daily Expenses Allowance was a single birth, the cost to extend Child Benefit to this cohort using current rates of payment, would be in the region of €11.6 million per annum.
518. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing qualified child rates by €6 for children under 12 and €15 for children 12; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51274/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe estimated cost of increasing the child support payment for under 12 year of age by €6 is €50.7 million.
The estimated cost of increasing the child support payment for children 12 years and over by €15 is €90.3 million.
These estimates includes full rate and half rate child support payments.
It should be noted that this costing is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and the associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2026.
519. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of providing free school meals for all post-primary school pupils in public schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51282/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn Budget 2025, it was announced that the Hot School Meals would be extended to all remaining primary schools in 2025, meaning that approximately 3,200 primary schools and 550,000 children are eligible for hot school meals. Across all meal club types there are some 3,700 schools and 682,000 children eligible for support. This equates to the distribution of up to 3.4 million school meals per week.
The budget for the School Meals Scheme for 2026 is €286 million.
My immediate priority is in-depth review of school meal supplier menus and their compliance with the nutritional standards. My Department seconded a CORU-registered dietician for the School Meals Scheme who is under the clinical supervision of the Department of Health to carry out this review. The review is underway with the final report due shortly.
As part of the Programme for Government, I plan to commence the rollout of School Meals to secondary schools over the lifetime of this Government. Following the completion of the nutritional review, the Interdepartmental Working Group will review how best to commence the roll out of the School Meals Scheme to post primary school pupils in public schools, therefore, it is not possible to provide a cost estimate at this time.
520. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year revenue that would be generated by increasing the 11.05% employers PRSI rate to 13.05% on salaries paid below €90,000 per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51283/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe estimated full year revenue that would be generated by increasing both the lower PRSI employer rate of 9% and higher rate of 11.25% by 2% on salaries paid below €90,000 per year and retaining the current rate of 11.25% for those earning over €90,000 per year is approximately €1.7 billion.
This estimate does not take into account any possible changes in employer or employee behaviour arising from changing the rate of employer PRSI contribution.
521. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year revenue that would be generated by establishing a new employer PRSI rate of 19.75% on any salaries paid over €90,000 per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51284/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe estimated full year revenue that would be generated by establishing a new employer PRSI rate of 19.75% on any salaries paid over €90,000 per year and retaining the lower employer rate of 9% for those earning under €28,704 per year and the current higher rate of 11.25% for those earning between €28,704 and €90,000 per year is approximately €4.6 billion.
This estimate does not take into account any possible changes in employer or employee behaviour arising from changing the rate of employer PRSI contribution.
522. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications received for a gender recognition certificate under Section 13 of the Gender Recognition Act 2015; the number of such certificates issued; the number of such certificates revoked by him under Section 14 of the Act; the number of applications made to him for revocations of such certificates under Section 15 of the Act; and the number of such revocations which were granted by him, for each year from 2015 to 2025 and to date in 2026. [51360/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraEvery year the Department of Social Protection publishes an Annual Report, under Section 6 of the Gender Recognition Act 2015.
The latest figures for Gender Recognition Certificate applications are published in the 2024 Annual Report which is available online at www.gov.ie/en/department-of-social-protection/collections/gender-recognition-annual-reports/.
Figures for 2025 will be provided in the 2025 Annual Report which is due to be published shortly.
523. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the most recent numbers available for persons in receipt of a disability-contingent payment, both those in work and out of work; the percentage of this group that are in receipt of disability allowance, invalidity pension, blind pension and partial capacity benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51364/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department offers a range of income supports for persons with a disability. The statistical information requested on these schemes is set out in the table below. Please note that employment status has been measured by the person having an employment with a start date before, and an end date after, May 31st 2026, based on the Revenue data available to my Department. It is also important to note that while an employment may remain open with an employer, it does not necessarily mean that the recipients are receiving a payment. A recipient cannot do paid work and get Invalidity Pension; if they want to return to work or self-employment, they may be able to transfer to Partial Capacity Benefit.
|
Scheme |
May 2026 Recipients |
% of Total Recipients |
% scheme recipients in employment |
|
Disability Allowance |
175,138 |
74.9% |
29.9% |
|
Invalidity Pension |
54,180 |
23.2% |
|
|
Blind Pension |
896 |
0.4% |
25.4% |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
3,141 |
1.3% |
95.7% |
|
Work Placement Experience Programme |
353 |
0.2% |
100% |
|
Total |
233,708 |
|
|
524. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the policy rationale for excluding the self-employed statutory sick PRSI and illness benefit, given that self-employed PRSI Class S contributors pay into the social insurance fund but cannot access short term income supports when ill; whether the Government intends to introduce a sick pay scheme or amend illness benefit eligibility for the self-employed; if so, the timeline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51408/26]
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.
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 a contributory payment 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 a commitment 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.
525. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide the web link to his Department’s Q2 2026 published report of purchase orders/payments over €20,000, in line with the FOI model publication scheme requirements; to confirm the date on which this report was published; and, if it has not yet been published, the planned publication date. [51571/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe quarterly report on purchase orders over €20,000 raised in Q2 2026 has not been published yet. It is scheduled to be published before 31st July 2026.
526. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is an update on a non-contributory pension review on behalf of a constituent (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51621/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraState pension non-contributory is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, legally and habitually residing in the State, who do not qualify for State pension contributory, or who only qualify for a reduced rate state pension contributory based on their social insurance record.
The person concerned is currently in receipt of the maximum rate State pension non-contributory of €298.00.
A routine review of the person’s entitlement was initiated on 20 April 2026. Following an initial review of the response received from the person concerned, a Natural Justice letter has been issued on 06 July informing them that based on the evidence submitted to my Department, their means exceed the statutory limit to qualify for state pension non-contributory. It also affords them a right of reply.
An application for state pension contributory was received on 11 June from the person concerned. It has now been determined that the person concerned is entitled to a reduced rate state pension contributory at a weekly rate of €159.70. As they are currently in receipt of a higher rate of payment on the state pension non-contributory, this will remain in payment, pending the outcome of the review of this entitlement.
527. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Social Protection the names of external security companies that provide security personnel to INTREO offices in the year 2025 and to-date in 2026; the amount that his Department has paid such companies for this work; when the contract to provide this service is next due for renewal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51714/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn September 2024, following a competitive procurement process, the Department awarded Synergy Security Solutions Ltd. a contract for the provision of security services.
The contract for security services includes static guarding and alarm response to 88 buildings nationwide across the network of the department’s Intreo Offices and a number of HQ buildings.
The expenditure for 2025 was €5.1 million and the expenditure for the year to date in 2026 is €2.3 million.
The contract for the provision of security services was awarded for an initial two-year period in 2024 with options available, at the discretion of my Department, for two twelve-month contract extensions thereafter.
528. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection the total cost of engagement with a company (details supplied) in each of the years 2020 to 2025, across his Department, by project, year and value; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51774/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy officials are preparing responses to a number of questions from the Deputy relating to the cost of engagement with companies who provide consultancy services to the Department. Unfortunately, it is not possible to provide all of the information within the timeframe available. The information will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
529. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection the total cost of engagement with a company (details supplied) in each of the years 2020 to 2025, across his Department, by project, year and value; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51792/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy officials are preparing responses to a number of questions from the Deputy relating to the cost of engagement with companies who provide consultancy services to the Department. Unfortunately, it is not possible to provide all of the information within the timeframe available. The information will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
530. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection the total cost of engagement with a company (details supplied) in each of the years 2020 to 2025, across his Department, by project, year and value; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51810/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy officials are preparing responses to a number of questions from the Deputy relating to the cost of engagement with companies who provide consultancy services to the Department. Unfortunately, it is not possible to provide all of the information within the timeframe available. The information will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
531. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection to consider extending the DCA payment to 18 years of age. [51827/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraDomiciliary Care Allowance is a non-means tested payment to a parent or guardian in respect of a child under 16 who has a severe disability and requires continuous care and attention, substantially more than what is typically required by a child of the same age. Eligibility is not based on the disability or diagnosis, but on the impact of the disability in terms of the level of care and attention required by the child.
From January 2026, the monthly rate of Domiciliary Care Allowance increased from €360 to €380. More than 64,460 families are currently receiving Domiciliary Care Allowance in respect of approximately 73,580 children. The estimated expenditure on the scheme in 2026 is almost €359 million.
Domiciliary Care Allowance stops being paid when a child turns 16 years of age. If the young person continues to have a disability that significantly impacts their daily living activities, they can then apply for a Disability Allowance payment in their own name of €254 per week. To avoid any gap in support, families can apply for Disability Allowance up to 3 months before the child’s 16th birthday.
Where a parent or guardian is also receiving Carer’s Allowance or Carer’s Benefit, those payments may continue for as long as the qualifying conditions are met. This week, the weekly income disregards for Carer’s Allowance increased to €1,000 for a single person and €2,000 for a couple, the largest ever increase to the means test. The income disregard for Carer’s Benefit also increased from €625 to €1,000. The annual Carer’s Support Grant of €2,000 also remains payable where full-time care continues.
Any future reform of Domiciliary Care Allowance will be considered in the context of commitments set out in the Programme for Government and the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030.
532. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department is currently considering increasing the income disregard limit for Carer’s Allowance for couples; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51843/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Carer’s Allowance is the main scheme by which the Department provides income support to carers. There are currently just under 108,000 carers receiving this payment.
The Programme for Government has set out a timeframe which commits to significantly increasing the income disregards for Carer’s Allowance in each Budget, with a view to phasing out the means test during the lifetime of this Government.
This process is already well underway. As part of Budget 2026, I announced significant improvements to the Carer’s Allowance means test that were introduced last week. From Thursday 2nd of July, the weekly income disregard increased by 60% from €625 to €1,000 for a single person, and from €1,250 to €2,000 for carers who are part of couple.
These are the largest ever increases in the income disregards and have resulted in more carers qualifying for Carer’s Allowance. From last week, an estimated 2,700 carers received an increase in their Carer’s Allowance payment. Virtually all carers in receipt of Carer’s Allowance are now being paid the maximum rate of payment.
For example, a single carer working part-time can earn up to €50,000 and retain their full Carer’s Allowance payment. The disregard is over double the average earnings for part-time workers.
Specifically with regard to couple households, from last week, a carer in a two-adult household with an income of approximately €110,000 will retain their full Carer’s Allowance payment and even with an income of €138,000 will retain a partial payment. This represents an increase from approximately €69,500 and €97,500 respectively and now covers up to 90% of couple households.
Removing the means test is a significant shift in policy direction and there may be further implications above the cost exposure. For this reason the income disregard is being abolished in a measured way over a number of Budgets.
The improvements outlined are evidence of the Government’s determination to deliver on its commitment to phase out the Carer's Allowance means test over the course of this Dáil term. Any further improvements to the means test will be considered as part of the annual Budgetary process having regard to overall welfare improvements.
