Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

121. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will consider introducing an automatic or simplified transition mechanism for children who meet the criteria for domiciliary care allowance to continue receiving support through disability allowance at the age of 16; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62168/25]

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

Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly non-means-tested payment to a parent or guardian for a child aged up to 16 who has a severe disability. The child must require care and attention substantially over and above that required by other children their age.

Eligibility for Domiciliary Care Allowance ceases when a child reaches 16 years of age. This aligns with the age of eligibility for Disability Allowance. If the young person continues to have a disability that significantly impacts their daily life, they can then apply for a Disability Allowance payment in their own right of €244 per week. If their parent or guardian continues to provide full-time care they can then retain, or apply for, a carer's payment. However, Domiciliary Care Allowance and Disability Allowance are designed for different purposes.

Domiciliary Care Allowance is a payment to assist parents who have a child whose care needs are greater than that of other children of the same age. Eligibility is not means tested or based on social insurance contributions.

Disability Allowance is a means-tested income support payment for people whose illness or disability means that they are substantially restricted from doing work that would be suitable for a person of their age, experience and qualifications. As such, the eligibility conditions for the schemes are different and it would not be appropriate to introduce a system whereby a person was simply moved directly from one scheme to the other on reaching age 16.

Any future reform of disability or carers payments, including Domiciliary Care Allowance, will be considered in the context of our commitments in the Programme for Government and the recently published National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

122. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if under the new rules for the rural social scheme, if a person from a rural area with no distinct ties to farming or fishing, but living in the rural area, qualify; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62021/25]

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

The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is an income support scheme that provides part-time employment opportunities for farmers and fishers in receipt of specified social welfare payments, and who are underemployed in their primary occupation. The valuable work undertaken by participants draws on their existing skills which may be further developed and shared throughout their participation.

My Department undertook a review of RSS, published in July 2024, to examine the role of the scheme, its ongoing relevance to the changing landscape, the funding and resourcing required along with the appropriate governance and management arrangements. The final report included recommendations to address the sustainability of the RSS to continue to support rural communities.

In that regard, I recently announced that eligibility to participate in RSS will be extended on a pilot basis to include rural dwellers who are 50 years or over, in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment and whose primary residence is in a rural area. Rural dwellers are defined as people living in all parts of Ireland with the exception of the areas within the boundaries of the five main cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, and Galway. This rural dweller pilot will be available from 1st January 2026 where a maximum of 250 RSS placements will be ring-fenced from within the existing national allocation of RSS placements.

The introduction of the rural dweller pilot to allow those not engaged in farming or fishing to access the RSS and thus ensuring key local services continue to be delivered in rural communities.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

123. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the action he is taking to support pensioners living alone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62067/25]

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

Primary weekly social welfare payments are intended to enable recipients to meet their basic day-to-day income needs. Payments available to those over 66 include the State Pension (Contributory), State Pension (Non-Contributory) and the Bereaved Partners' Contributory Pension.

The rate of primary and secondary payments to pensioners, and their adequacy, are considered in the context of the annual budgetary process. In doing so, the Government considers evidence from a wide range of sources, including agencies such as the CSO, and also research submitted by advocacy groups such as the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice, which has a measure they call the “Minimum Essential Standard of Living (MESL)”.

The data shows that the cost of living for a single person is slightly more than the individualized cost of two people living together. For this reason, the Living Alone Increase is available to those in receipt of qualifying payments. The Living Alone Increase is currently paid at €22 per week.

There are a number of additional supports in the social welfare system which may further benefit a pensioner living alone:

• People in receipt of a Pension may also be eligible for the Household Benefits Package.
• A person in receipt of a Pension may also qualify to receive Fuel Allowance, subject to the conditions of the scheme, including a means test. The weekly rate of payment increased in Budget 2026 to €38 per week.
• A person in receipt of a Pension and who qualifies for both the Living Alone Allowance and the Fuel Allowance will automatically qualify for the Telephone Support Allowance. This payment aims to help those living alone with the cost of communications and/or home alert security systems.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.