Máire Devine (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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1403. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost if the fuel allowance increased to €39 per week. [18969/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €400 million in 2025.

At the end of December 2024, 413,934 households were in receipt of the Fuel Allowance payment. Based on similar numbers of households qualifying for the Fuel Allowance Payment during the 2025/26 fuel season, the estimated cost of increasing the fuel allowance payment to €39 per week for the 2025-2026 period, an increase of €6 per week and the full-year cost in 2025 over the course of a 28-week Fuel Season is as follows: -

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Máire Devine (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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1404. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost if the living alone allowance increased to €25 per week. [18970/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Living Alone Increase is an extra payment for recipients of certain social welfare payments who live alone. The current rate of increase is €22 per week a and is available to persons aged 66 or older who live alone and are in receipt of the State Pension (contributory and non-contributory), Widows, Widowers and Surviving Civil Partner's (contributory) Pension, Incapacity Supplement or Deserted Wife's Benefit. It is also available to those aged under 66 who live alone and are in receipt of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Incapacity Supplement, or Blind Pension.

At the end of March 2025 there were 251,509 recipients of the Living Alone Increase. Based on that number, an increase of €3 per week would cost an estimated €39.2m in a calendar year.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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1405. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will review the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18984/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Treatment Benefit Scheme provides dental, optical, aural and hair replacement products and services to insured workers, the self-employed, retired people and their dependent spouse/partner who have the required number of social insurance (PRSI) contributions.

The Department pays the full cost of an oral examination once a calendar year. In addition, an annual payment of €42 is provided towards either a scale and polish or a periodontal treatment (if clinically necessary).

If the cost of either cleaning or periodontal treatment is more than €42, the customer must pay the rest. This is capped at €15 for a scale and polish. There is no cap on the balance charged for periodontal treatment.

The cost of an extraction is not covered by the dental benefit scheme.

If the person concerned is the holder of a medical card, he may have an entitlement to treatment under the parallel HSE scheme. If this is the case, he should contact his local HSE health office for advice on making a claim.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.