Parliamentary questions

State Pensions

Catherine Murphy

443. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for State pension (contributory) that were refused by her Department in each month of 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form. [18899/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Michael Lowry

444. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm the current status of the application for domiciliary care allowance in respect of an individual (details supplied) who was previously unsuccessful; to confirm if the diagnosis of 'Classic PKU - Non-Responsive to Kuvan' (Phenylketonuria) fulfils the qualifying medical criteria for payment of domiciliary care allowance, given that the child does not respond to Kuvan treatment and requires a very specific diet and continuous monitoring on a daily basis for a lifetime; the reason some parents of children diagnosed with this condition qualify for domiciliary care allowance, while others with the same diagnosis do not; to specifically clarify the reason that this applicant was unsuccessful in their application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18927/24]

Social Welfare Schemes

Seán Canney

445. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will address the anomaly whereby people who are wheelchair users and who are receiving a civil service pension and who are not in receipt of a disability allowance cannot access free travel while under 66 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18965/24]

Widow's Pension

Peter Fitzpatrick

446. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Social Protection if the State plans to open eligibility to widow's pension to those who were not legally married but in a long-term committed relationship; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18978/24]

State Pensions

Robert Troy

447. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on a contributory pension investigation (details supplied). [18979/24]

State Pensions

Robert Troy

448. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on a contributory pension investigation (details supplied). [18980/24]

Departmental Data

Thomas Pringle

449. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of disability allowance applications which were submitted in the period 2020 to 2023 and to date in 2024; the number of applications which were successful on first processing; the number which were eventually successful following a review; the number eventually successful following an appeal, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19000/24]

Departmental Data

Thomas Pringle

450. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of carer's allowance applications submitted in each of the years 2020 to 2023 and to date in 2024; the number of applications which were successful on first processing; the number which were eventually successful following a review; the number which were eventually successful following an appeal, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19015/24]

Departmental Data

Thomas Pringle

451. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of invalidity pension applications which were submitted in each of the years 2020 to 2023 and to date in 2024; the number of applications which were successful on first processing; the number which were eventually successful following a review; the number which were eventually successful following an appeal, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19019/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Niamh Smyth

452. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection what protocols are in place for people who refuse the offer of work while in receipt of jobseeker’s payments; if employers are being liaised with; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19027/24]

Social Welfare Payments

John Lahart

453. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is considering any measures that would assist in the reduction of the cost of bin charges for older persons (details supplied). [19043/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Michael Healy-Rae

454. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if the case of a person (details supplied) will be examined; if her Department will contact the person in relation to the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19074/24]

School Meals Programme

Ivana Bacik

455. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 400 of 23 April 2024, if the national standards for school meals stipulates that produce which is delivered under the school meals programme must or should be sourced in Ireland; and the proportion of foods provided under the programme with a country of origin which is not Ireland. [19084/24]

Social Welfare Payments

John McGuinness

456. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if a full payment of child benefit will be approved for a person (details supplied) and their partner, as both are in the process of establishing their home again in Ireland, having spent several years abroad; and if she will expedite a positive decision. [19086/24]

EU Directives

John Paul Phelan

457. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Social Protection to list all Acts and Statutory Instruments sponsored by her Department which became law from 20 February 2020 to date in 2024 and which were necessitated, either in whole or in part, to transpose or give effect to regulations, directives or other measures passed at European Union level. [19173/24]

Widow's Pension

Thomas Pringle

458. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the actions her Department has taken in relation to the entitlement of an unmarried co-habitant to a widows, widowers or surviving civil partner’s contributory pension following on from the recent Supreme Court judgment of 22 January 2024 including the legislative changes required; the timeline to respond to this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19179/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Holly Cairns

459. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of the jobseeker’s benefit application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19226/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

460. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the proposed jobseeker’s benefit pay related scheme; when in particular it is expected to be introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19247/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Seán Sherlock

461. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of payments made, per county, for each month of 2024, for additional needs payments and exceptional needs payments, by category, in tabular form. [19271/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Seán Sherlock

462. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount paid out to all consultancy firms for any services rendered; and the cost per contract in 2023 as a whole and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [19273/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Seán Sherlock

463. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the breakdown of exceptional needs payments under the supplementary welfare allowance paid in each month; the total and individual value of each payment; and the total expenditure, by category and month, from January 2021 to April 2024 inclusive, in tabular form. [19274/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Seán Sherlock

464. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of heating supplement payments that were paid under the supplementary welfare allowance for each month from January 2021 to April 2022 inclusive, in tabular form; the number of persons who were in receipt of the fuel allowance; the number who were not in receipt of fuel allowance; the value of each monthly heating payment under the category; and if the payment was made directly to the person or to the energy company. [19275/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Mick Barry

465. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Social Protection if those who are on disability allowance and therefore in receipt of a qualifying payment for the free travel scheme who have a child and are therefore temporarily moved to maternity allowance if they should then lose access to the free travel scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19304/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Jackie Cahill

466. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if an individual applies for the additional needs payment, if this can be used for hospital transportation where the individual has no other means of transport available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19317/24]

Social Welfare Benefits

Duncan Smith

467. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason an application for fuel allowance was refused for a person in receipt of disability allowance (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19332/24]

School Meals Programme

Aindrias Moynihan

468. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of school children now in receipt of hot meals, by county, in tabular form. [19340/24]

Departmental Funding

Catherine Murphy

469. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide the amount of grant-aid returned and or surrendered to her Department, by local authority in 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, to include the heading of which it was intended for. [19368/24]

Personal Public Service Numbers

Ivana Bacik

470. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on delays experienced by returning emigrants in obtaining a PPSN; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19383/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Marc MacSharry

471. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) will receive a response to their enquiry regarding the methodology for the calculation of means in the case of their application for a disability allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19386/24]

Social Welfare Schemes

Peadar Tóibín

472. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the current number of applications for the long-term carer contributions scheme; the number of successful and unsuccessful applications since the commencement of the scheme; and the current waiting time for applications to be assessed, in tabular form. [19428/24]

Widow's Pension

Noel Grealish

473. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Social Protection when people who have lived with long-term partners that have passed away will be entitled to apply for widow’s pension benefits (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19440/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Neasa Hourigan

474. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection the rationale for the conditions for the PRSI contributions for the benefit payment for 65-year-olds; the reason a person would not be eligible for the benefit payment at 65 years old, even if they are eligible and have made enough PRSI payments to qualify for the State pension a year later; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19518/24]

Departmental Data

Chris Andrews

475. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Justice the reason that despite the objection of local residents and businesses, portaloos have now been installed at a location (details supplied); and the person or body that made the decision to do so. [19183/24]

International Protection

Catherine Murphy

476. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the estimated first and annual cost of the introduction of a skills assessment for international protection applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19353/24]

Departmental Programmes

Patrick Costello

477. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the status of a series of Programme for Government commitments (details supplied); the actions taken to date; the stage of formulation and the estimated timeline for completion of each, in tabular form. [18742/24]

Domestic Violence

Violet-Anne Wynne

478. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Justice her views on the recent recommendation that domestic violence specialist-based remote witness hearings be extended to other courts, and also to inter-partes hearings, in family law cases around the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18765/24]

Domestic Violence

Violet-Anne Wynne

479. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Justice her views on the recent statistics showing that there has been an increase of domestic violence incidents in Clare, bringing it to 184 in quarter 1 of 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18776/24]

An Garda Síochána

Seán Canney

480. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Justice the percentage of Garda graduates assigned to positions outside of Dublin city over the past four years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18791/24]

Broadband Infrastructure

Denis Naughten

481. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Justice the total number of copper communication lines within her Department that are currently in active operation and for which her Department is paying for on a monthly basis, inclusive of ISDN, PTSN and copper-based lease lines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18841/24]

Visa Applications

Jim O'Callaghan

482. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the status of an expired visa and request for a work permit in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18892/24]

An Garda Síochána

Catherine Murphy

483. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardai by rank attached to each divisional scenes of crime unit as of 22 April 2024; and if she will provide same figures as of 30 June 2022, in tabular form. [18909/24]

An Garda Síochána

Catherine Murphy

484. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of custody cells and holding cells within Kildare division that are reserved for suspects aged under 18 years. [18910/24]

Prison Service

Catherine Murphy

485. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the capital budget allocation for the Irish Prison Service in 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form. [18911/24]

An Garda Síochána

Catherine Murphy

486. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the amount spent on purchasing new tasers for armed garda personnel in 2022, 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form. [18912/24]

Courts Service

Jim O'Callaghan

487. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice if she can secure data from the Courts Service on the average length of time for reserved judgments in family law cases to be delivered. [18919/24]

Public Private Partnerships

Rose Conway-Walsh

488. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Justice what percentage of her Department's capital budget is used to cover the cost of unitary PPP payments each year since 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18941/24]

Public Private Partnerships

Rose Conway-Walsh

489. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Justice if the level of expenditure by her Department on unitary PPP payments are in line with the investment policy framework for PPPs, which restricted annual expenditure on PPP unitary payments to no more than 10% of aggregate capital expenditure, in any given year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18942/24]

Antisocial Behaviour

Willie O'Dea

490. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice if she is aware of the growing problem of crime and anti-social behaviour in Limerick city centre; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18962/24]

Legal Aid

Claire Kerrane

491. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Justice if she will provide an update on the review of the Civil Legal Aid Scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18988/24]

Departmental Data

Richard Boyd Barrett

492. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice if any Israeli West Bank settler organisations are considered proscribed and subject to restrictive measures or sanctions by the State on the basis that the construction of settlements seriously destabilises the fundamental political, constitutional, economic or social structure of Palestine (details supplied); if any Israeli West Bank settler organisations are considered proscribed and subject to restrictive measures or sanctions by the State on the basis of their connection with reported violence against Palestinian civilians that seriously destabilises the fundamental political, constitutional, economic or social structure of Palestine; if the State is considering imposing any sanctions on such organisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19020/24]