Written Answers Nos. 16-34
16. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has benchmarked child benefit against comparable family-support payments in other European countries; the findings of any such analysis; and the way in which those findings are informing the development of measures to support families and reduce child poverty. [67342/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraChild Benefit is a universal monthly payment, supporting families with the cost of raising children. It is paid in respect of almost 1.3 million children. Expenditure on the scheme this year will exceed €2.2 billion.
The monthly rate of Child Benefit is €140 for each qualifying child, with higher rates for twins and other multiple births.
Child Benefit policy varies significantly across European countries in terms of payment duration, structure, rate and eligibility criteria. As a result, direct comparisons can be challenging as policies are shaped by differing cultural, economic, and legislative contexts.
The scale and universal nature of Child Benefit means that any increase carries a significant Exchequer cost. Even a modest €5 increase in a monthly Child Benefit would cost over €75 million.
The focus over recent years has been to target families with children through payments linked to household circumstances.
For example, Child Support Payments are paid with most weekly social welfare payments to support low-income households with dependent children. As part of Budget 2026, weekly rates increased by €8 to €58 for children under 12 and by €16 to €78 for children over 12. These payments provide additional support to approximately 330,000 children.
Budget 2026 also increased the weekly income thresholds for Working Family Payment by €60, helping existing recipients and allowing more low-income working families to qualify. At the end of August, the average weekly payment on the scheme was €190.
In September 2025, Government agreed a new child poverty target to reduce the child consistent poverty rate to 3 per cent or less by 2030. This ambitious target represents a reduction from the rate of 7.8 per cent. The target is guiding cross-Government action on child poverty and helps ensure resources are directed to families most in need.
In addition, the Child Poverty and Well-being Programme Office has also developed a Dashboard of Indicators to complement this target and measure child poverty in a more holistic way.
I was pleased to see a reduction in the Central Statistics Office Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) 2025 of national child consistent poverty, from 8.5% in 2024 to 7.8% in 2025, equivalent to an 8.2% reduction year-on-year, and reflecting the impact of Government measures to date.
The development of measures to support families and the reduction of child poverty remain at the heart of considerations throughout the annual budgetary process, taking account of available resources.
Government priorities and the overall budget package of social welfare measures are still under consideration.
17. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the dieticians' report on the nutritional standards for the hot school meals scheme. [67383/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to advise the Deputy that the Nutrition Review Report was published earlier this week. The report was conducted by a CORU-registered dietician for the School Meals Programme who is under the clinical supervision of the Department of Health.
Before commenting on the report I want to make some key points.
First the provision of nutritious food during school time is known to be important in helping children to learn and develop.
Second we know some children do not have access to sufficient food in the home environment; to the extent that we can compensate, even partially, for this by providing meals in school, on a non-discriminatory basis, then it is important that we do so.
Third, at a time of rising costs, the provision of school meals is an important support to all families with young children, delivering a cost saving benefit per child of almost €600 per annum.
Fourth the vast majority of our schools do not have on site food preparation or catering facilities this means we are reliant on off-site preparation.
The reason I make these points is that while we cannot let the perfect get in the way of the good, and we are all aware that children can be fussy eaters, it is important that we create the environment for them to thrive, participate and succeed.
The report showed there is a wide variety of meals offered under the scheme, with good availability of nutritious and well-balanced options. 82% of meals analysed did not contain foods considered high in fat, salt or sugar. However, the analysis of data on meal options showed that high fat, salt, sugar foods are chosen, by parents, over healthier options when available on the menu.
Feedback provided by principals and teachers during school visits was largely positive.
There are of course improvements required in the scheme. Meals would benefit from increased provision of vegetables, fruit, salad and wholegrain foods, improving menu consistency, providing age-appropriate portion sizes and strengthening compliance systems.
Importantly, the findings of the report align closely with those in the independent IPSOS Behaviour and Attitudes evaluation of service review of the Hot School Meals Scheme and support the recommendations in the report.
I am pleased to see that the reports indicate a generally high standard of food provision and a high level of overall satisfaction. I am also pleased that they provide an independent and objective view of those areas where we can improve the programme. I will immediately begin to act on those recommendations for improvement.
18. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the mechanisms in place when parents or students have problems with the quality, options or nutritional value of the food provided under the Hot School Meals Programme. [66651/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the School Meals Programme, the primary relationship is between the school and supplier. My department provides the funding for the meals directly to the school and it is the responsibility of each school board to administer the Programme, including managing the procurement process. All schools 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 tenderers responsibilities and obligations, including adherence to the nutritional standards.
The School Meals Programme is open to all registered Food Business Operators.
If parents have any concerns regarding the meals being provided, they must bring it to the attention of the School Principal or the Board of Management. The school as the contracting authority will raise the matters with the supplier to address the issues raised.
Nutritional standards are a priority for me, and I requested a review of the scheme’s nutrition standards to be undertaken. My department seconded a CORU registered Dietitian under the clinical supervision of the Department of Health to conduct this review.
I am pleased to advise that the Nutrition Review Report was published earlier this week. The report showed there is a wide variety of meals offered under the scheme, with good availability of nutritious and well-balanced options. 82% of meals analysed did not contain foods considered high in fat, salt or sugar. However, the analysis of data on meal options showed that high, fat, salt, sugar foods are chosen over healthier options when available on the menu.
The review also recommended the introduction of a standardised, fully compliant menu framework by prioritising a 3?week menu cycle and developing robust nutrition compliance audits. Improve flexibility and age appropriateness by providing different meal sizes for different age groups and allowing schools to choose either a hot or cold lunch on any given day. In order to continue to ensure inclusivity for all students, menus to be adapted for special schools, special classes, and children with specific dietary requirements.
Importantly, the findings of the report align closely with those in the independent IPSOS Behaviour and Attitudes evaluation of the Hot School Meals Scheme commissioned by my department and also published this week.
I am pleased to see that the reports indicate a generally high standard of food provision and a high level of overall satisfaction. I am also pleased that they provide an independent and objective view of those areas where we can improve the programme. However, improvements are required and I will immediately begin to act on the recommendations in the review.
19. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the actions his Department is taking to extend access to the heating supplement. [67655/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents. It is a demand led scheme.
Under the scheme, my Department may award a supplement to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the person's own resources and are deemed to be necessary. This can include a heating supplement where a person has need for additional heating due to ill health or infirmity. The Heating supplement is not restricted to the fuel season and can be paid throughout the year.
Entitlement is decided by the Community Welfare Officers administering the scheme. All the relevant circumstances of the case are taken into account in order to ensure that the payments target to those most in need of assistance.
In addition to the Heating supplement, the Fuel Allowance Scheme is available to assist pensioners and other welfare dependent householders with meeting the cost of their heating needs during the winter season. The Fuel Allowance scheme is a means tested payment. Fuel Allowance eligibility encompasses 22 qualifying schemes, demonstrating the comprehensive nature of the support available to eligible households. In addition to these qualifying schemes, people over 66 do not need to be in receipt of a payment from this Department to qualify for Fuel Allowance. According to the latest CSO data, there are just over 1.8 million households in Ireland. Of these, 463,910 households are eligible for the Fuel Allowance scheme, representing approximately 26% of all households nationwide. The allowance represents a contribution towards a person's normal heating expenses.
Due to the targeted nature of the Fuel Allowance Payment, the Government views the Fuel Allowance Payment as an important measure in helping to combat energy poverty.
Any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to the Heating Supplement 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.
20. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans for the introduction of baby loss certificates. [67535/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe General Register Office (GRO), which operates under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection is currently involved in the development of proposals to recognise early pregnancy loss.
Early pregnancy loss is a difficult time for families and the State would like to ensure that families are supported during this time.
The aim of any such recognition process would be to provide support to the parent or parents who experience early pregnancy loss. It is hoped that the development of such a process will provide some measure of comfort to families who suffer early pregnancy loss.
The proposed scheme would be a commemorative record of baby loss before 23 weeks of pregnancy. Entries in the record would provide recognition of baby loss and offer comfort to those who want a record of their loss.
It is envisaged that any application process would be entirely voluntary and be applicable to the loss of a child where that child does not meet the current stillbirth criteria.
In order to progress this matter, officials from the GRO have been in contact with various groups and bodies on this proposal. In July this year, the GRO presented the broad parameters of a scheme to recognise early baby loss in the State to the Cross Party Oireachtas Group on Pregnancy and Infant Loss and other interested parties.
Officials from the GRO have also engaged with colleagues from other jurisdictions where similar schemes of recognition have been implemented.
A meeting with the Northern Ireland GRO is scheduled for later this week to facilitate a discussion around their experiences in implementing a scheme for the recognition of pregnancy loss in Northern Ireland.
21. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the assessment he has made of the contribution made by community employment and related schemes to the provision of services in rural communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67560/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department offers a range of employment schemes and other supports to encourage long-term unemployed people to return to work, while also assisting communities in rural and urban areas across the country in the provision of vital services. They are targeted at people who have been on an unemployment payment or certain other social welfare payments for a specific period of time.
Employment and activation programmes play a critical role in rural areas by:
• Providing income stability for individuals with limited labour market opportunities.
• Supporting the delivery of essential local services.
• Enhancing social inclusion and community participation.
• Maintaining community infrastructure and amenities that would otherwise be at risk.
Community Employment (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. Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is an income support initiative that provides part-time employment opportunities in community and voluntary organisations for farmers or fishers who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are underemployed in their primary occupation.
In addition to providing valuable occupational experience and training as a stepping-stone to employment for people who are unemployed and income support, the schemes also provide important and, in many cases essential, services to their local communities.
Employment schemes are in diverse areas and include the development, regeneration and enhancement of community spaces, environmental maintenance, early years, and after-school supports, heritage, arts, culture, tourism, sport, green economy, biodiversity projects, recycling and repair of equipment, visitation, friendly call, and befriending programmes for older people.
Following the 2024 Review of the Rural Social Scheme, a number of reforms have been introduced to improve sustainability and increase participation in rural areas. These include longer three year contracts, allowing participants aged 60 to remain on the scheme until 66, and enhanced promotion and governance arrangements. Three further measures were introduced from January 2026: a Rural Dweller Pilot, providing 250 ring?fenced places for those aged 50 and over living in rural areas, extended eligibility for individuals with a defined connection to a farming or fishing enterprise, and the inclusion of couples jointly engaged in farming or fishing. These changes are already contributing to increased participation and are aimed at safeguarding community service delivery in rural areas.
The Department of Social Protection have a number of commitments under Our Rural Future that are focused actions to support rural Ireland and communities. Through the national employment strategy, Pathways to Work, DSP has actions to support people to upskill, reskill and find employment through increased capacity and intensive activation and training.
For rural communities, activities are being supported and in some cases stimulated, which are vital to maintaining the fabric of communities. The benefits from the three work schemes accruing to individuals and their families are generating substantial quality of life improvements in rural communities, through increased income, increased social contact; increased social capital and greater access to training, advice and information.
I recognise and I have witnessed at first hand, how these employment, activation and income support programmes enable participants to make a significant contribution to their communities in rural and urban areas whilst up-skilling themselves for prospective future employment. I wish to re-iterate that my Department keeps all aspects of these programmes under ongoing review to ensure they continue to deliver the best outcomes for participants and communities.
22. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of domiciliary care allowance applications refused in Cork to date in 2026; and the number of these granted on appeal. [66851/26]
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.
Over the year to the end of August 2026, there were just over 4,000 applications for Domiciliary Care Allowance refused nationwide. Figures for claims processing are not available on a county level, and are only available at the national level.
Over the year to the end of August 2026, there were over 2,300 appeal decisions for Domiciliary Care Allowance. Of these, just over 1,700 were decided in favour of the appellant. This includes where the applicant received a revised decision from the scheme area or where the claim was allowed or partially allowed by an Appeals Officer.
There can be multiple reasons for an appeal, apart from a claim being refused. This could include the backdating of a claim for example. Therefore not all appeals are for rejection of a claim. It is not currently possible to break down the figures by reason for the appeal.
Details on the number of claims registered, awarded, and rejected by scheme are published in my department's Annual Statistics Report. The 2025 Annual Statistics Report was published earlier this year and is available under the Department's recent publication section of its website on www.gov.ie.
23. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps he is taking to ensure access for the self-employed to income support when they become ill. [66974/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra38. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider, as part of Budget 2027, extending eligibility for Illness Benefit to self-employed workers who are unable to work due to illness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66646/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 38 together.
Illness 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.
24. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which his Department is preparing for the long-term impact of an ageing population on the sustainability and adequacy of the State Pension system [67550/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is acutely aware of the potential impacts of the projected demographic changes on social protection supports, particularly in relation to the funding of State pensions.
My Department assesses all factors relating to the State pension system and its sustainability through the Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund - from which the State pension is paid. An Actuarial Review must be conducted every five years. The last Actuarial Review was published in March 2023. The purpose of the review is to determine the extent to which the Social Insurance Fund may be expected, in the longer term, to meet the demands in respect of payment of all benefits, including State pension payments.
The review takes account of the adequacy or otherwise of contributions to support such benefits and payments, as well as other matters relevant to the current and future financial condition of the Social Insurance Fund.
A consistent finding of the Actuarial Reviews is that the Social Insurance Fund will experience significant long term sustainability challenges.
The most recent Actuarial Review found that, in the absence of any action to tackle the shortfalls, the excess of expenditure over income of the Fund will increase significantly over the medium to long term with an accumulated deficit of €500 billion by 2076. This is mainly driven by the changing demographics, particularly the ageing of our population and the decreasing pensioner support ratio (the ratio between the number of older people and the number of working age people).
The previous Government established the Pensions Commission in November 2020 to examine the sustainability of the State Pension system and the Social Insurance Fund in light of the projected demographic changes. The Commission's Report, which was published in October 2021, took account of an assessment of various analyses of population, labour force and expenditure projections and set out recommendations to address the sustainability of the State pension system.
In order to address the future sustainability of the Social Insurance Fund, the then Government decided not to increase the State pension age but instead to implement a series of gradual and incremental increases in PRSI rates across all three contributors to the Social Insurance Fund - employees, employers and the self-employed. These increases total 0.7 percentage points between 2024 and 2028, with further increases to be considered, based on the most up-to-date data available from the next Actuarial Review of the Fund, which is to be completed in 2027.
25. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline his intentions to reduce the means testing for people who apply for carer's allowance; the provisions he plans to make in this regard in Budget 2027. [67221/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra39. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will remove the means test for Carer's Allowance. [66588/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra45. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the removal of the mean’s test for Carer’s Allowance as committed to in the Programme for Government. [66650/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra55. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to further reform the means test for carer’s allowance, including whether he will consider its full abolition and the introduction of a non-means-tested family carer payment, in recognition of the fact that eligibility for support should reflect the significant caring responsibilities undertaken by full-time family carers. [63776/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra81. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection his views in relation to the phasing out of the carers allowance means test as committed to in the Programme for Government; and the timeline for this commitment to be met. [66892/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra94. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of the Government's commitment to review the means test for carer's allowance; and whether he is considering the abolition of the means test in recognition of the vital role played by family carers. [67391/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra108. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the timeline for the abolition of the carer’s means test. [66849/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra110. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Social Protection following the increases in the income disregards for the carer’s allowance means test, the next steps his Department intends to take towards the Programme for Government commitment to phase out the means test; the further changes to the income disregards or qualifying criteria that are being considered; and the timeframe for their introduction. [67262/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 39, 45, 55, 81, 94, 108 and 110 together.
The Carer’s Allowance is the main scheme by which my Department provides income support to carers. At the end of August there were 111,000 carers receiving this payment with a provision of €1.4 billion for 2026.
The Programme for Government has set out a timeline 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 well underway. As part of Budget 2026, I announced significant improvements to the means test that were introduced in 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 mean that a carer in a two-adult household with an income of €110,000 will retain their full Carer’s Allowance payment and receive a partial payment with a household income up to €138,000.
The impact of the increases also meant almost 2,700 carers received an increase in their Carer’s Allowance payment in July and virtually everyone on the scheme are now being paid their maximum weekly rate.
The improvements delivered to date demonstrate the Government’s commitment to supporting carers. I am not in a position to provide any specific information regarding potential budget measures. Discussions are still ongoing and Government is committed to moving forward on the Programme for Government commitments to Carers.
26. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of persons combined who are actively claiming job seekers benefit, job seekers allowance and job-seekers pay related benefit; and if he will outline trends over the past five years such as whether more or less people are claiming unemployment-related social welfare this year compared to previous years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67166/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe number of people in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance, Jobseekers Benefit or Pay Related Benefit at the end of each year and end August 2026 are shown in the below table:
|
- |
Jobseekers Allowance |
Jobseekers Benefit* |
Pay Related Benefit |
Total |
|
2021 |
108,414
|
35,908
|
- |
144,322
|
|
2022 |
126,616
|
40,932
|
- |
167,548
|
|
2023 |
119,356
|
38,787
|
- |
119,356
|
|
2024 |
107,693
|
41,032
|
- |
148,725
|
|
2025 |
107,131
|
17,247
|
31,920
|
156,298
|
|
end August 2026 |
106,258
|
13,729
|
31,001
|
150,988
|
* Includes Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds, Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed) and Short-Time Work Support.
Commensurate with the stability in numbers, the seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment estimate has been at or below 5 percent since January 2022. As of August 2026, it stands at 5 percent. This rate is conventionally considered to indicate full employment.
27. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the engagement he has had on providing a State pension for foster carers; and the timeframe on this. [66968/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra43. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the Government commitment to examine the pension arrangements for foster carers; and whether additional proposals to support foster carers to access the State pension system are currently planned. [67628/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra102. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department will consider further reforms to the pension treatment of foster care work, including bringing foster care work directly within the State Pension system. [67646/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 27, 43 and 102 together.
Matters relating to foster care are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality.
Officials from my Department continue to engage with their counterparts in the Department of Children, Disability and Equality on the issue of pension provision for foster carers.
This Government acknowledges the important role that carers, including foster carers, play and remains fully committed to supporting them. Once the minimum requirement of 10 years' paid contributions is met, the State Pension (Contributory) system provides a range of measures to recognise caring periods outside of paid employment, such as PRSI credits, Homemaking Disregards and HomeCaring Periods. Homemaking Disregards and HomeCaring Periods recognise caring periods of up to 20 years outside of paid employment in the calculation of a payment rate.
Foster carers are entitled to benefit from these measures on the same basis as other carers and parents. They may qualify if they are in receipt of Child Benefit. If they are not in receipt of Child Benefit, they can still qualify for Homemaker’s Scheme or HomeCaring Periods provided the caring periods are confirmed by Tusla.
Since January 2024, long-term carer's contributions can be awarded to a person who has cared for an incapacitated person for a period of 20 years or more. These contributions are treated the same as paid contributions for State Pension (Contributory) entitlement only and can be used to fill any gaps in a person's contribution record, including satisfying the minimum 10-years' paid contributions required for eligibility.
Foster carers who have cared for an incapacitated dependent or dependents for over 20 years also benefit from this provision.
These measures assist foster carers to access the State pension system and recognise the years spent caring for children in the same way as biological or adoptive parents, while ensuring that the system remains sustainable.
Any future changes to State Pension system would have to be considered in the overall policy and budgetary context, including the sustainability of the Social Insurance Fund.
28. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection if he intends to make changes to and increase the Household Benefits Package in the coming months. [67521/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra112. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to change the Household Benefits Package to alleviate poverty amongst households most in need. [67525/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra114. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will examine targeted supports in Budget 2027 such as increasing the monthly allowance of €35 for those with gas or electricity as part of the Household Benefits Package. [67298/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 28, 112 and 114 together.
My department continues to examine key ancillary benefits such as the Fuel Allowance, Household Benefits Package and the Living Alone Allowance to support vulnerable groups. This is an ongoing activity as part of the Department's budget planning each year and I will continue, as part of the budget planning process, to consider if improvements can be made to ensure that these benefits continue to target vulnerable groups.
Given the many competing demands for the limited funding available to the Department, recent Budget spending increases have been targeted to ensure that it goes to those people who need help the most. The Household Benefits Package is available to those aged 70 or over regardless of means and household composition. It is also available as a supplementary allowance to those in receipt of various social welfare payments.
With regards to targeted measures, the Department provides support to households who are most vulnerable to energy poverty via the Fuel Allowance payment. The Fuel Allowance payment is a means tested payment which is targeted towards households that are at a higher risk of poverty.
Any future decisions, including any decision to change or increase the Household Benefits Package will, of course, have to be considered as part of the budgetary process.
Finally, the Department of Social Protection provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or other personal and household resources. 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.
29. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures his Department is considering to assist households facing high energy costs as winter approaches, particularly in rural counties such as Mayo where many households remain reliant on oil and solid fuels; and if he will make a statement on this matter. [67594/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra34. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he has assessed the adequacy of the fuel allowance for households that have no alternative to oil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67558/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 29 and 34 together.
Fuel Allowance eligibility encompasses 22 qualifying schemes, demonstrating the comprehensive nature of the support available to eligible households. In addition to these qualifying schemes, people over 66 do not need to be in receipt of a payment from this Department to qualify for Fuel Allowance, subject to satisfying the means test. According to the latest CSO data, there are just over 1.8 million households in Ireland. Of these, 463,910 households are eligible for the Fuel Allowance scheme, representing approximately 26% of all households nationwide.
The Programme for Government has committed to protect core welfare rates while ensuring that available resources are targeted at vulnerable groups.
As part of Budget 2026, I increased the weekly rate of Fuel Allowance by €5. This increased the weekly rate payable by 15%, from €33 to €38 a week or to €1,064 per fuel season. In addition, in March this year, I extended the 2026/2027 Fuel Allowance season, by four weeks. This added an additional €152 to households in most need of support and increased the fuel season amount to €1,216 in 2026. The estimated expenditure on the scheme in 2026 is of €557.4 million.
The Programme for Government includes a commitment to examine key ancillary benefits such as the fuel allowance, household benefits package and living alone allowance to support vulnerable groups. This is an ongoing activity as part of the Department's budget planning each year.
I am aware that there may be exceptional circumstances where a person does not qualify for Fuel Allowance but may need support, and it is for this reason that the Department of Social Protection provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or other personal and household resources. 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 will continue, as part of the budget planning process, to examine improvements to key ancillary benefits to ensure that these benefits continue to support vulnerable cohorts.
30. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Social Protection if he consideration will be given to review the minimum 16 hours weekly worked hours to qualify for carer’s benefit; and the impact the current rules have for teachers who are not on full time hours. [67659/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraCarer's Benefit is a payment made by my Department to insured people who leave the workforce or reduce their hours to care for someone in need of full-time care and attention. There are currently 5,150 people in receipt of Carer's Benefit and expenditure on the scheme is estimated to exceed €76 million this year.
To qualify, a person must meet the PRSI and other statutory conditions of the scheme including a requirement to have been in insurable employment for at least 16 hours per week or 32 hours per fortnight. Contracted hours are a matter between an employer and employee.
In cases where a person does not meet the qualifying conditions for Carer's Benefit, they may instead qualify for the means tested Carer’s Allowance. In July, the income disregards were increased significantly to €1,000 for a single carer and €2,000 for a couple. These improvements mean that, for example, a carer in a two-adult household with an income of approximately €110,000 will still retain their full carers payment and even with an income of €138,000 will retain a partial payment.
Any proposals for further changes to this condition would need to be considered in an overall budgetary context taking into account the impact on the Social Insurance Fund.
31. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has considered providing any additional social protection payment supports specifically for households who are reliant on home heating oil. [67645/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy department continues to examine key ancillary benefits such as the Fuel Allowance, Household Benefits Package and the Living Alone Increase to support households. This is an ongoing activity as part of the Department's budget planning each year and I will continue, as part of the budget planning process, to consider if improvements can be made to ensure that these benefits continue to target those most in need.
Given the many competing demands for the limited funding available to the Department, recent Budget spending increases have been targeted to ensure that it goes to those people who need help the most. With regards to targeted measures, the Department provides support to households who are most vulnerable to energy poverty via the Fuel Allowance payment. The Fuel Allowance payment is a means tested payment which is targeted towards households that are at a higher risk of poverty.
Any future decisions, including any decision to provide additional social protection payment supports, of course, have to be considered as part of the budgetary process.
It is important to note that Additional Needs Payments are available through my Department for people who have essential expenses, which they cannot meet from their own resources, including people who face difficulties in meeting fuel bills. In addition, a Heating Supplement may be paid to assist people that have exceptional heating costs due to ill health, infirmity or a medical condition and are unable to meet those costs out of household income. The Heating Supplement can be paid throughout the full year.
Any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment or the Heating Supplement 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 for an Additional Needs Payment can be made online via www.mywelfare.ie.
32. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if there has been an increase in the number of persons qualifying for the carers allowance on each of the occasions when the qualification threshold has been relaxed, or each occasion where the income disregard has increased; and if he will outline the number of new persons successfully claiming the allowance after each change to the criteria. [67173/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraCarer’s Allowance is a means-tested social assistance payment for people who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who requires such care.
There are a number of qualifying conditions for Carer’s Allowance. These include conditions relating to the care recipient’s need for full-time care and attention, the provision of that care by the applicant, the applicant’s employment or education circumstances, residency requirements and satisfaction of the means test.
The income disregard applying to Carer’s Allowance has been increased significantly in recent years. In July 2025, the weekly income disregard was increased to €625 for a single person and €1,250 for a couple.
As part of Budget 2026, I announced further improvements to the Carer’s Allowance means test, which took effect from 2 July this year. 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 a couple.
My Department does not hold data that would allow it to identify the number of new recipients who qualified specifically as a result of each increase in the income disregard. However, information is available on the direct impact of the two most recent increases on people who were already receiving Carer’s Allowance.
Following the increase introduced in 2025, approximately 5,200 recipients benefited from an increase in their rate of payment. Following the most recent increase in 2026, approximately 2,700 recipients benefited from an increased rate.
The overall number of people receiving Carer’s Allowance was 97,985 at the end of 2024, compared with 104,522 at the end of 2025 and 110,808 at the end of August 2026.
The overall number of recipients reflects both new claims coming into payment and existing claims closing, for example where caring responsibilities cease or a person no longer satisfies the qualifying conditions.
More generally, the number of people receiving Carer’s Allowance has been growing year on year, reflecting a range of demographic and social factors, including an ageing population, growth in the number of people providing care and increased awareness of the supports available to carers.
The successive increases in the income disregard have made the Carer’s Allowance means test significantly more generous and have also provided increased support to existing recipients affected by the means test.
The Government recognises the vital contribution made by family carers and remains committed to supporting them through the social protection system.
33. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the new working age payment. [66686/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government includes a commitment to introduce a new Working Age Payment. In support of this commitment, the Department launched a public consultation on 5 May 2026 on the proposed Working Age Payment and Targeted Child Payment, with the consultation concluding on 12 June 2026. During the consultation period, an in-person event was conducted for stakeholders and the general public, where the proposed payment was discussed and set within a wider policy context.
The proposed Working Age Payment seeks to create a more flexible and responsive income support system for people of working age. The objective is to reduce payment cliff edges, ensure that people are financially better off when they take up employment or increase their working hours, and better reflect modern and diverse working patterns. The proposal is also intended to simplify aspects of the current system while maintaining support for those on low incomes.
The consultation process generated significant engagement from individuals, representative bodies and stakeholders, with over 270 submissions received. Overall, there was broad support for the overall objectives of the reform of reducing poverty, improving income adequacy and ensuring that work pays. Reflecting the high-level nature of the proposals, some submissions highlighted the need for further detail on the operation and design of the proposed payment before reaching a definitive view on specific aspects of the proposal.
The consultation process has generated a significant body of feedback which will inform the next phase of policy development. Officials from my department are undertaking further analysis and consideration of the issues raised, including the detailed design of any future Working Age Payment. No final decisions have been made, and any proposals brought forward will be shaped by the evidence and stakeholder feedback received through the consultation process.
