Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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731. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection whether current employment in the fashion, textile, and clothing retail sectors making PRSI contributions has been quantified in Budget planning documentation; whether additional activation supports, or training schemes are being considered for this workforce in Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47918/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Social Protection is currently engaged in the Estimates process for 2026 which runs up to, and culminates in, the Budget in October this year.

As part of this process, the Department is liaising with colleagues from both the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation and the Department of Finance.

Critical inputs from those Departments, including macroeconomic employment forecasts and Live Register projections, will inform the Department’s Budget planning for 2026.

Any changes in relation to activation supports and training schemes will have to be considered in an overall budgetary and policy context.