Written answers
Tuesday, 10 June 2025
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Social Welfare Benefits
Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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960. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of making the fuel allowance available for 32, 40 and 52 weeks per annum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30688/25]
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, available from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €400 million in 2025.
At the end of March 2025, 415,690 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 and a weekly rate of payment of €33, the estimated cost of the measures outlined by the Deputy are as follows:
| Length of Fuel Season (Weeks) | Additional Cost per Week | Number of Additional Weeks | Estimated Additional Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | €13.7m | 4 | €54.87m |
| 40 | €13.7m | 12 | €164.4m |
| 52 | €13.7m | 24 | €328.8m |
The provision of any additional supports such as increasing the weekly rate of the Fuel Allowance would have cost implications and could only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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961. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of extending eligibility for the fuel allowance scheme to those in receipt of the working family payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30689/25]
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The estimated annual cost of extending Fuel Allowance eligibility to all Working Family Payment recipients is €39.7 million, covering a full fuel season.
This costing is based on the estimated average number of recipients in 2025, and is subject to change in light of emerging trends and subsequent revision of the estimated number of recipients.
Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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962. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of a €1 increase in each of the social insurance schemes, social assistance schemes, other weekly schemes and other schemes payments, in tabular form (details supplied). [30690/25]
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The tables below outline the estimated annual cost of increasing social welfare schemes by €1.
It should be noted that these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and the associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients.
It should also be noted that these costings include proportionate increases for qualified adults and for those on reduced rates of payment, where relevant.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
| Payment | Personal | Qualified Adult | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| €m | €m | €m | ||
| Social Insurance Schemes | ||||
| State Pension (Contributory) | € 26.85 | € 2.62 | € 29.47 | |
| Widow/er's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Con) Pension | Under 66yrs | € 1.53 | € 1.53 | |
| Over 66Yrs | € 5.14 | € 5.14 | ||
| Deserted Wife's Benefit | Under 66yrs | € 0.06 | € 0.06 | |
| Over 66Yrs | € 0.13 | € 0.13 | ||
| Invalidity Pension | € 2.88 | € 0.16 | € 3.04 | |
| Partial Capacity Benefit | € 0.08 | € 0.01 | € 0.09 | |
| Guardian's Payment (Contributory) | € 0.07 | € 0.07 | ||
| Death Benefit Pension | € 0.03 | € 0.03 | ||
| Disablement Pension | € 0.18 | € 0.18 | ||
| Illness Benefit | € 2.66 | € 0.10 | € 2.76 | |
| Injury Benefit | € 0.02 | € 0.00 | € 0.02 | |
| Incapacity Supplement | € 0.04 | € 0.00 | € 0.04 | |
| Jobseeker's Benefit | € 1.48 | € 0.06 | € 1.54 | |
| Jobseeker's Benefit (Self Employed) | € 0.03 | € 0.00 | € 0.04 | |
| Carer's Benefit | € 0.24 | € - | € 0.24 | |
| Health and Safety Benefit | € 0.00 | € 0.00 | € 0.00 | |
| Maternity & Adoptive Benefit | € 0.99 | € - | € 0.99 | |
| Paternity & Parent's Benefit | € 0.43 | € - | € 0.43 | |
| Social Assistance Schemes | ||||
| State Pension (Non Con) | € 5.13 | € 0.10 | € 5.23 | |
| Blind Person's Pension | € 0.05 | € 0.00 | € 0.05 | |
| Widow/ers or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Con) Pension | € 0.05 | € 0.05 | ||
| Deserted Wife's Allowance | € 0.00 | € 0.00 | ||
| One-Parent Family Payment | € 2.27 | € 2.27 | ||
| Carer's Allowance | Under 66yrs | € 2.65 | € - | € 2.65 |
| 66yrs or Over | € 0.09 | € - | € 0.09 | |
| Half Rate Carer's Allowance | Under 66yrs | € 0.74 | € 0.74 | |
| 66yrs or Over | € 0.47 | € 0.47 | ||
| Guardian's Payment (Non-Contributory) | € 0.03 | € 0.03 | ||
| Jobseeker's Allowance Max Rate | € 5.92 | € 0.71 | € 6.63 | |
| JA age 18 to 24 | € 0.65 | € 0.01 | € 0.66 | |
| Disability Allowance | € 8.71 | € 0.56 | € 9.27 | |
| Farm Assist | € 0.18 | € 0.05 | € 0.22 | |
| Employment Support Schemes (BTWA & BTEA) | € 0.22 | € 0.04 | € 0.26 | |
| Employment/Internship Schemes (CE, Tús, RSS etc.) | € 1.45 | € 0.19 | € 1.64 | |
| Work Placement Experience Programme | € 0.01 | € 0.00 | € 0.01 | |
| Supplementary Welfare Allowance | € 0.66 | € 0.06 | € 0.72 | |
| TOTAL | 72.15 | 4.67 | 76.82 |
| Cost of €1 Change - Weekly Schemes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (€m) | ||||
| Pensioners - Aged 66 years and over | ||||
| State Pension (Contributory), Invalidity Pension (Aged 65), Widow/er's or Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension, Deserted Wife's Benefit, State Pension (Non-Con), Carer's Allowance, Half Rate Carer's Allowance | €40.54 | |||
| Working Age - Aged under 66 years | ||||
| People With Disabilities | ||||
| Invalidity Pension, Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Incapacity Supplement, Disablement Pension | € 12.59 | |||
| Carers | ||||
| Carer's Allowance, Half Rate Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit | € 3.63 | |||
| All Other Rates | ||||
| Widow/er's Pension or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory), Deserted Wife's Benefit, Death Benefit Pension, Partial Capacity Benefit, Jobseeker's Benefit, Illness Benefit, Health & Safety Benefit, Injury Benefit, Guardian's Payment (Contributory), Jobseeker's Allowance, Pre-Retirement Allowance, Widow/er's or Surviving Civil Partner's Pension (Non-Con), Deserted Wife's Allowance, Farm Assist, One Parent Family Payment, SWA, Guardian's Payment (Non-Con), Part Time Job Incentive, Maternity/Adoptive/Paternity/Parent's Benefit | €18.15 | |||
| Employment Supports/Internships | ||||
| Back To Work Allowance, Back To Education Allowance, Community Employment Programme, TÚS, Rural Social Scheme, Jobs Initiative, Work Placement Experience Programme | € 1.91 | |||
| Overall Total - including Pensioners | €76.82 | |||
| Changes to other Schemes/Payments | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (€m) | ||||
| €1 change in the monthly rate of Child Benefit | € 15.55 | |||
| €1 change in the rate of Fuel Allowance | € 12.00 | |||
| Change to the duration of the Fuel Allowance - cost of an additional week | € 14.14 | |||
| €1 change in the rate of Qualified Child Increase - age under 12 | € 11.24 | |||
| €1 change in the rate of Qualified Child Increase - age 12 and over | € 4.21 | |||
| €1 change in the rate of Living Alone Allowance (for everyone) | € 13.02 | |||
| - Pensioners only | € 10.74 | |||
| - Other schemes (Invalidity Pension, Disability Allowance, Blind Pension | € 2.28 |
Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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963. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of equalising the jobseekers rates for under 25s to the current rate of €244 per week for jobseekers over 25; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30691/25]
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Age-related rates apply to 18 to 24 year olds in receipt of the means-tested Jobseeker's Allowance scheme.
Age-related reduced rates on Jobseeker's Allowance are designed to prevent long-term welfare dependency. If a young jobseeker participates in education or training, they receive up to the maximum personal rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance of €244. If they participate on the Work Placement Experience Programme the weekly rate increases up to €359.
At end of quarter one 2025, the number of jobseekers aged 18 to 24 years who are in receipt of the age-related rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance of €153.70 per week is 9,047.
The estimated full-year cost of increasing the age-related jobseeker’s rate of €153.70 to the full personal rate of €244 is approximately €42.5 million based on the figure provided and the rate of payment in 2025.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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964. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of reinstating the bereavement grant at the rate of €850 per person deceased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30692/25]
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Bereavement Grant, which was a once-off payment for funeral costs, was discontinued in January 2014. The number of bereavement grant claims in 2013 was 23,716 at a cost of €20.3 million.
The number of Bereavement Grant claims paid in 2013 equated to 80% of registered deaths. If the same percentage was applied to the figures for 2023 - the most recent data that the Department has available - it is estimated that the cost of reintroducing the grant would be close to €30 million per annum and would increase annually. Accordingly, any decision to reinstate the grant would have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
In this context, it is worth noting that there are a range of supports available for people following bereavement which provide more significant support than the former grant.
These include weekly-paid Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory and Non-Contributory) pensions, which are based on contributions or a means test, and a once-off Widowed or Surviving Civil Partner grant of €8,000 where there is a dependent child. A number of social welfare payments, including State Pension, continue in payment for six weeks following a death, extending to 12 weeks in respect of Carer’s Allowance. Guardian payments are available where someone cares for an orphaned child. A special funeral grant of €850 is paid where a person dies because of an accident at work or occupational disease.
Under the Supplementary Allowance scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income, which may include help with funeral and burial expenses. This is a more targeted and efficient manner of assisting people with bereavement expenses in addition to the range of supports already set out.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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965. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) has not received the qualified adults payment for his child who is sill of age to receive it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30717/25]
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Social welfare payments are made up of a personal rate, with extra amounts for adult dependents and child dependents. A Qualified Adult increase (IQA) is usually paid in respect of a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant. It is not payable in respect of an adult child.
Child Support Payment (formerly known as an Increase for a Qualified Child) is payable in respect of a dependent child up to age 18, or up to age 22 if the child is in full-time education. The person concerned was awarded Widower’s and Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory Pension with effect from 14 February 2025. His son was over age 22 at that date. Consequently, the person concerned is not entitled to a Child Support Payment.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
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