Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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941. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will consider the precarious nature of work in the film and television industry and find ways in which his Department can respond quickly and effectively to support freelance and creative workers who experience genuinely unexpected employment (details supplied) in order that a crew base can be retained and protected in this country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30176/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Sectoral interventions for the film and television industry are matters for my colleague, the Minister for Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.

The Professional Artist Scheme under Jobseeker’s Allowance provides support for unemployed artists whereby they are exempt from labour market activation for up to 12 months to focus on their profession. The other conditions associated with Jobseeker’s Allowance, including a means test, continue to apply, as they do for all other claimants. The rate of payment structure is the same as for Jobseeker's Allowance recipients.

In addition, my Department provides income supports to support workers who are working casually or intermittently under the PRSI based Jobseeker's Benefit scheme or the means tested Jobseeker's Allowance scheme. These schemes are paid at a personal rate of €244 per week, with additional top-ups for a qualified adult and/or child dependents, where applicable. A person can work up to three days per week and continue to receive a partial Jobseeker's Benefit or Jobseeker's Allowance payment. Further detail on all supports for jobseekers, including the operational guidelines, are available on gov.ie.

Any person experiencing financial difficulty may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment (ANP) to help meet essential expenditure which an eligible person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income. These payments are means-tested and administered by the Community Welfare Service considering the requirements of the legislation and all of the relevant circumstances of the case.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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942. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the first- and full-year cost of a recurring cost-of-disability payment of €2,600 a year, or €50 a week. [30193/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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This government is committed to improving outcomes for disabled people and recognise that they can face significant additional costs in their daily lives.

As a result, Budget 2025 brought forward an extensive range of cost of living measures to support people with disabilities. These included cost of living lump sum payments, bonus double payments, increases to the maximum personal rate of weekly disability payments and child support payments.

The long-term disability income supports in my Department are Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension and Partial Capacity Benefit. These schemes have a combined estimated expenditure for 2025 of €3.24 billion in respect of almost 228,000 recipients.

Introducing a payment of €2,600 a year, or €50 a week cost of disability payment to all current recipients of a long-term disability income support based on current figures would cost an additional €594 million each year.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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943. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the cost of increasing core rates of social protection by at minimum €20 to restore the purchasing power of the payment to 2020 levels. [30194/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The estimated full year cost of increasing all weekly social protection rates by €20 per week is €1,530 million.

Please note this costing is subject to change over the coming months in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2025.

It should also be noted that this costing includes proportionate increases for qualified adults and for those on reduced rates of payment, where relevant.