Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

636. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision will issue on a person’s (details supplied) carers allowance review in view of the fact it has been pending for some time; if he will give serious consideration to awarding the person the carers allowance given they provide a significant level of full time care to the person in question and the means test threshold has increased significantly since their initial application in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51530/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means tested payment for persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult. The applicant must also satisfy the habitual residency conditions.

An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 11 December 2023. The claim was disallowed as the means of the person exceeded the statutory limit.

The person concerned was notified of this decision on 12 February 2024 and notified of their right to a review and their right to appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO).

A review was initiated on foot of correspondence received from the person concerned on 30 June 2025. Following this review, the decision remained unchanged. They were notified of this decision on 22 September 2025.

The means threshold for CA has been significantly increased over the years. As part of Budget 2025, with effect from July 2025, the weekly income disregard increased from €450 to €625 for a single person, and from €900 to €1,250 for carers with a spouse/partner.

It is open to the person concerned to reapply for CA if their circumstances change.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

637. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will review the income thresholds for single occupancy households applying for the fuel allowance, in view of the increased cost of living and the fact that two-person households benefit from a higher threshold; and if he will consider raising the income limits for single person households to ensure equitable access to the fuel allowance. [51618/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

To qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment a person must satisfy all relevant qualifying criteria including satisfying a means test. The means test ensures that the Fuel Allowance payment goes to those who are more vulnerable to fuel poverty, including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods and who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own.

The increased allowable means threshold for people who are married, cohabiting or in a civil partnership, acknowledges that the overall cost of living for this cohort is higher than for a single person.

While my Department's schemes are reviewed on an ongoing basis, any changes to the means test could only be considered in a wider budgetary and policy context.

My Department does of course pay the Living Alone Increase to those who live alone to compensate for the additional individual costs of living alone when compared to a couple or family. The Living Alone Increase is an extra payment for people who are living alone and getting certain social welfare payments. The living Alone Increase is paid at an addition weekly rate of €22 or €1,144 a year. The yearly rate of Living Alone Increase at €1,144 is higher than that of the Fuel Allowance payment of €924 and is not payable to couples.

Finally, my Department provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or other personal and household resources. If your constituent believes that they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment, they should contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office. In addition, applications can be made online via www.mywelfare.ie.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

638. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will clarify the eligibility of individuals for an allowance (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51626/25]

Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

639. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if clear written guidance can be provided to Intreo staff regarding the eligibility of social enterprise founders and directors for the back to work enterprise allowance, in view of the Government’s stated policy to support social enterprises and neurodivergent individuals’ participation in economic and social life; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51627/25]

Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

640. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will outline how the current back to work enterprise allowance eligibility criteria apply to social enterprises registered as companies limited by guarantee, and whether directors or founders working on a contract or employment basis are eligible to apply for the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51628/25]

Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

641. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will review the back to work enterprise allowance scheme to ensure that it is accessible to founders of social enterprises, particularly those serving vulnerable or neurodivergent adults, given the Government’s commitment to supporting social inclusion and mental health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51629/25]

Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

642. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection whether the intention to work on a contract basis for a social enterprise, prior to the enterprise being able to offer direct employment, precludes an applicant from qualifying for the back to work enterprise allowance; and if not, if he will issue guidance to Intreo offices to ensure consistency in decision making; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51630/25]

Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

643. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will provide an update on any plans to amend the back to work enterprise allowance, or related supports, to better accommodate the unique structures and needs of social enterprises, in line with the Government’s social enterprise policy and the National Disability Inclusion Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51631/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 638 to 643, inclusive, together.

The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance scheme provides support for the setting up of a new enterprise based in Ireland which is to be established as either a sole trader, a partnership or a limited company.

The proposed enterprise must be recommended, in advance, by both the Enterprise Officer in the Local Development Company and my Department's Employment Personal Adviser, before a final decision is made by the Deciding Officer to approve the application. No application for Back to Work Enterprise Allowance has been received to date for the enterprise mentioned in the details supplied.

Employment Personal Advisers establish that the proposed business is a new enterprise and examine the proposed business under the following headings: sustainability, displacement, seasonality and market saturation/competition.

Approved Back to Work Enterprise Allowance customers are expected to devote 100% of their time to the business venture to maximise the chances of success are therefore not allowed to enter into paid employment as an employee, either in a full-time or part-time capacity, while in receipt of Back to Work Enterprise Allowance. This also includes working as an employee of the business being set up, rather than being the owner/director of the enterprise.

Operational Guidelines for the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance are publicly available on www.gov.ie.