Written answers
Tuesday, 29 April 2025
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Social Welfare Schemes
Brian Stanley (Laois, Independent)
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1379. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of applications registered per operational scheme for the period of 2020 to 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18613/25]
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The number of applications registered for the period 2020 - 2023 are set out in the table below. Figures in respect of 2024 are being compiled. Final figures for 2024 will be published in the 2024 Annual Statistics Report which is due to be published later this year.
| Scheme | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Pension (Non-Contributory) | 9,446 | 9,348 | 12,400 | 12,370 |
| State Pension (Contributory) | 40,584 | 41,157 | 43,633 | 51,425 |
| Widow/er's or Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension | 7,610 | 7,825 | 8,569 | 8,616 |
| Widow(er)s' or Surviving Civil Partners' Contributory Pension (Death Benefit) | 67 | 60 | 113 | 85 |
| Jobseeker's Allowance | 148,202 | 90,914 | 112,877 | 119,744 |
| One Parent Family Payment | 8,031 | 10,157 | 13,831 | 13,103 |
| Widow/er's or Surviving Civil Partner's Non-Contributory Pension | 361 | 401 | 507 | 480 |
| Jobseeker's Benefit | 194,234 | 115,885 | 132,762 | 151,508 |
| Maternity Benefit | 41,987 | 45,938 | 42,131 | 43,253 |
| Paternity Benefit | 24,884 | 28,832 | 28,246 | 29,177 |
| Parent’s Benefit | 16,973 | 51,972 | 77,015 | 76,935 |
| Daily Expenses Allowance | 861 | 1,521 | 8,087 | 10,918 |
| Farm Assist | 744 | 1,014 | 517 | 542 |
| Health and Safety Benefit | 243 | 291 | 233 | 221 |
| Pandemic Unemployment Payment | 1,412,718 | 376,534 | 31,726 | s/c |
| Adoptive Parent Benefit | 21 | 28 | 46 | 27 |
| Treatment Benefit | 1,165,375 | 1,441,150 | 1,572,650 | 1,732,553 |
| Disability Allowance | 20,671 | 20,599 | 26,021 | 28,704 |
| Blind Pension | 98 | 85 | 149 | 179 |
| Carer's Allowance | 18,774 | 19,648 | 22,841 | 22,633 |
| Domiciliary Care Allowance | 6,834 | 9,121 | 10,524 | 12,290 |
| Illness Benefit | 278,381 | 440,294 | 767,341 | 372,528 |
| Invalidity Pension | 9,991 | 8,679 | 8,932 | 11,498 |
| Disablement Benefit | 558 | 443 | 362 | 452 |
| Occupational Injuries Benefit | 9,421 | 9,762 | 10,231 | 7,536 |
| Carer's Benefit | 2,085 | 1,965 | 5,094 | 4,492 |
| Child Benefit - Total | 108,359 | 152,102 | 127,112 | 129,634 |
| Working Family Payment - Total | 62,131 | 48,959 | 71,889 | 71,357 |
| Guardian's Payment (Non-Contributory) | 121 | 112 | 183 | 188 |
| Guardian's Payment (Contributory) | 263 | 294 | 305 | 375 |
| Back to Work Scheme Family Dividend | 1,979 | 2,146 | 1,964 | 1,541 |
| Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance | 160,079 | 151,834 | 176,788 | 174,398 |
| Household Benefits | 108,944 | 110,504 | 85,528 | 74,282 |
| Free Travel | 90,571 | 88,391 | 85,939 | 72,574 |
Brian Stanley (Laois, Independent)
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1380. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the total number of claims per operation scheme awarded for the period of 2020 to 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18614/25]
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The number of claims awarded for schemes in 2020 - 2023 are set out in the table below. Figures in respect of 2024 are being compiled. Final figures for 2024 will be published in the 2024 Annual Statistics Report which is due to be published later this year.
| Scheme | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Pension (Non-Contributory) | 7,084 | 6,732 | 11,146 | 11,312 |
| State Pension (Contributory) | 31,924 | 32,604 | 18,776 | 21,096 |
| Widow/er's or Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension | 6,755 | 7,133 | 6,630 | 6,869 |
| Widow(er)s' or Surviving Civil Partners' Contributory Pension (Death Benefit) | 31 | 14 | 12 | 10 |
| Jobseeker's Allowance | 92,395 | 62,954 | 67,426 | 66,948 |
| One Parent Family Payment | 7,792 | 8,926 | 8,168 | 7,522 |
| Widow/er's or Surviving Civil Partner's Non-Contributory Pension | 120 | 107 | 147 | 182 |
| Jobseeker's Benefit | 129,050 | 88,855 | 97,811 | 110,767 |
| Maternity Benefit | 40,293 | 43,283 | 40,897 | 40,657 |
| Paternity Benefit | 24,076 | 26,539 | 27,375 | 27,111 |
| Parent’s Benefit | 16,683 | 51,395 | 75,603 | 78,189 |
| Daily Expenses Allowance | 858 | 1,510 | 7,974 | 9,400 |
| Farm Assist | 355 | 580 | 353 | 848 |
| Health and Safety Benefit | 173 | 204 | 182 | 189 |
| Pandemic Unemployment Payment | 1,040,645 | 279,356 | 26,656 | s/c |
| Adoptive Parent Benefit | 17 | 17 | 34 | 24 |
| Treatment Benefit | 1,161,800 | 1,441,150 | 1,561,269 | 1,727,175 |
| Disability Allowance | 15,686 | 13,298 | 13,817 | 16,418 |
| Blind Pension | 27 | 24 | 64 | 81 |
| Carer's Allowance | 17,495 | 14,804 | 14,921 | 17,333 |
| Domiciliary Care Allowance | 4,498 | 5,766 | 7,872 | 8,301 |
| Illness Benefit | 247,947 | 368,618 | 644,324 | 300,216 |
| Invalidity Pension | 6,693 | 5,418 | 5,198 | 7,651 |
| Disablement Benefit | 202 | 68 | 197 | 435 |
| Occupational Injuries Benefit | 4,740 | 4,833 | 3,789 | 3,524 |
| Carer's Benefit | 2,085 | 1,965 | 3,730 | 4,445 |
| Child Benefit - Total | 108,021 | 156,852 | 115,011 | 128,660 |
| Working Family Payment - Total | 54,673 | 40,833 | 55,620 | 51,281 |
| Guardian's Payment (Non-Contributory) | 78 | 82 | 93 | 135 |
| Guardian's Payment (Contributory) | 168 | 178 | 222 | 321 |
| Back to Work Scheme Family Dividend | 1,979 | 2,146 | 2,729 | 1,447 |
| Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance | 143,330 | 137,177 | 153,417 | 154,106 |
| Household Benefits | 108,944 | 100,257 | 67,729 | 78,035 |
| Fuel Allowance | 39,927 | 29,487 | 50,893 | 64,883 |
| Free Travel | 76,209 | 82,713 | 74,368 | 80,013 |
Brian Stanley (Laois, Independent)
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1381. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of applications refused, per operational scheme, for the period of 2020 to 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18615/25]
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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he number of applications refused for each operational scheme in 2020 - 2023 are set out in the table below. Figures are in respect of 2024 are being compiled. Final figures for 2024 will be published in the 2024 Annual Statistics Report which is due to be published later this year.
| Scheme | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Pension (Non-Contributory) | 1,757 | 1,924 | 2,609 | 2,883 |
| State Pension (Contributory) | 6,717 | 6,733 | 12,207 | 14,866 |
| Widow/er's or Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension | 826 | 809 | 1,334 | 1,320 |
| Widow(er)s' or Surviving Civil Partners' Contributory Pension (Death Benefit) | 33 | 38 | 38 | 52 |
| Jobseeker's Allowance | 11,856 | 9,423 | 11,859 | 13,625 |
| One Parent Family Payment | 886 | 782 | 908 | 1,054 |
| Widow/er's or Surviving Civil Partner's Non-Contributory Pension | 95 | 133 | 160 | 140 |
| Jobseeker's Benefit | 4,751 | 4,658 | 5,907 | 7,738 |
| Maternity Benefit | 1,184 | 1,002 | 1,633 | 1,469 |
| Paternity Benefit | 805 | 798 | 882 | 682 |
| Parent’s Benefit | 258 | 588 | 2,255 | 986 |
| Daily Expenses Allowance | 1 | 7 | 16 | 144 |
| Farm Assist | 98 | 44 | 12 | 96 |
| Health and Safety Benefit | 64 | 74 | 40 | 31 |
| Pandemic Unemployment Payment | 27,599 | 9,571 | 5,070 | s/c |
| Adoptive Parent Benefit | 5 | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Disability Allowance | 13,559 | 13,989 | 14,593 | 16,653 |
| Blind Pension | 57 | 50 | 56 | 84 |
| Carer's Allowance | 10,495 | 9,134 | 10,115 | 10,875 |
| Domiciliary Care Allowance | 2,083 | 2,566 | 3,948 | 4,079 |
| Illness Benefit | 15,180 | 17,384 | 26,565 | 10,794 |
| Invalidity Pension | 4,492 | 4,197 | 4,142 | 5,188 |
| Disablement Benefit | 422 | 202 | 123 | 115 |
| Occupational Injuries Benefit | 1,919 | 1,803 | 2,493 | 1,628 |
| Carer's Benefit | 1,073 | 959 | 1,404 | 1,359 |
| Child Benefit - Total | 1407 | 1615 | 1200 | 1920 |
| Working Family Payment - Total | 9,294 | 9,469 | 18,449 | 23,061 |
| Guardian's Payment (Non-Contributory) | 18 | 22 | 78 | 79 |
| Guardian's Payment (Contributory) | 52 | 87 | 83 | 107 |
| Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance | 16,488 | 14,485 | 23,140 | 20,250 |
| Household Benefits | 18,938 | 16,831 | 18,855 | 14,869 |
| Free Travel | 1,314 | 1,002 | 1,741 | 1,427 |
Brian Stanley (Laois, Independent)
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1382. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the total number of decision reviews requested, per operational scheme, for the period of 2020 to 2024, in tabular from; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18616/25]
Brian Stanley (Laois, Independent)
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1383. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the total number of decisions upheld upon review, per operational scheme for the period 2020 to 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18617/25]
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1382 and 1383 together.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection, which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
The Annual Report of the Chief Appeals Officer is published each year and includes a breakdown of all appeals, including revised decisions by scheme to a detailed level. The reports for years 2020 to 2023 are available on the Social Welfare Appeals Office website. The total number of revised decisions made during the appeals process in 2024 was 8,761. The annual report for 2024 is currently being prepared and will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas shortly.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
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