Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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9. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will report on the implementation of the Programme for Government commitments under the remit of her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37655/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department has 35 individual Programme for Government commitments and I am pleased to say that significant progress has been made on their implementation. The following is a summary of progress on the key commitments:

1. The last two successive social welfare Budget packages have been the largest in the history of the State with €2.2 and €2.3 billion invested in protecting the most vulnerable; Budget 2024 made a lone parent with two young children, €2,448 better off. A pensioner couple have seen their income increase by more than €2,514. A person with a disability living alone is €2,020 better off after Budget 2024, while the Child Benefit measure for 18 year olds in full time education was brought forward to May 2024;
2. Significant pensions reforms have been delivered including the establishment of a Commission on Pensions;
3. The introduction of a payment for people who retire at 65;
4. The Government has maintained the State Pension Age at 66;
5. The introduction of a Total Contributions approach for the State Pension Contributory scheme;
6. The introduction of a system of voluntary deferral of the State Pension up to the age of 70, which allows people to receive a higher rate of payment for each year they defer;
7. Long-term carers can now be awarded PRSI contributions for periods of care, so they can attain a State pension in their own right;
8. Auto-enrolment legislation was enacted in July;
9. Child maintenance payments have been removed from the means test for social assistance welfare payments;
10. We have tackled food poverty through the significant expansion of the School meals scheme and the establishment of the working group on food poverty;
11. We have extended funding for the Abhaile scheme until at least the end of 2027;
12. We have expanded the availability of activation schemes including those delivered by Intreo Partners the local employment area services and employability which are available nationwide;
13. We have maintained and enhanced access to the Free Travel Scheme;
14. Introduced measures to help the long term sustainability of the Social Insurance Fund; and
15. Legislation has been enacted to introduce Pay Related Jobseeker's Benefit.