Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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1150. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to confirm if increased PRSI contributions for the self-employed to allow them to avail of social welfare entitlements, such as illness benefits, has been included in Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57797/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Illness benefit is the primary short term income support provided by my Department to those who are unable to work due to illness of any type and who are covered by social insurance. Eligibility for illness benefit depends on the person’s PRSI record and class. The person must have made the required number of contributions under class A, E, H or P to qualify. In general, self-employed people make PRSI contributions at class S which does not provide entitlement to illness benefit.

Self-employed people pay contributions to the Social Insurance Fund at a lower rate of 4.2%. This is 11.25 percentage points lower than the combined employer and employee contribution of 15.45% made in respect of employed contributors. However, self-employed contributors do have access to over 90% of benefits available to employed contributors. The only benefits that class S PRSI does not provide access to are health and safety benefit, illness benefit and occupational injuries benefits.

The 0.1 percentage point increase in PRSI rates from 1 October 2025 relates to the PRSI Roadmap 2024-2028 and was not part of Budget 2026. It is in the context of the long-term sustainability challenges facing the Social Insurance Fund that the previous Government agreed to incrementally increase all PRSI rates on employers, employees and the self-employed by 0.7 percentage points over the period 2024 to 2028.

The Programme for Government includes an action to explore the option of giving self-employed workers access to illness benefit by means of making a higher PRSI contribution. My Department has commenced work in this regard. Any changes to the current system would need to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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1151. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the details of any legislation, circular or regulation limiting the approval of the exceptional needs payment for household goods to entry-level items in terms of cost (details supplied); whether his Department considers the life cycle costs, for instance the savings arising from the durability or energy efficiency of goods with a higher upfront cost, when appraising costs of household items eligible for purchase with an exceptional needs payment; and whether his Department has any policy in relation to the carbon emissions or other negative externalities of cheaper goods purchased using the exceptional needs payment. [57917/25]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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1152. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the data that is recorded on household goods purchased using the exceptional needs payment; and the estimated total annual value of these goods, by region and category. [57918/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1151 and 1152 together.

The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents.

Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or other personal and household resources. Where an application for white goods is received and a need is identified, a recommended amount for a given item is considered.

Guidance on the recommended levels of payment in respect of specific household appliances are available to assist Community Welfare Service staff and are based on a price comparison analysis at which the appliances can be obtained on a nationwide basis. These guidelines do not limit the discretionary powers available to officers administering the scheme.

I believe the current process used in considering claims for assistance with the costs of household goods is a fair and equitable approach. It is at the discretion of the person to purchase the level of white goods appropriate to their needs. Energy labels on white goods are intended to inform customers of the energy efficiency of the item they are purchasing which will in turn assist them with their energy costs.

Additional Needs Payments are categorised based on the need identified. Expenditure of over €48 million was provided to assist with Housing Category related goods and services in 2024. Payments under this category include a range of necessary items such as furniture, bedding and white goods.

Statistics on payments made under the scheme, including a breakdown by broad category, are published in the Quarterly Statistics Report which is available at: www.assets.gov.ie/static/documents/2024Q4_Quarterly_Statistical_Report.pdf

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.