Written answers
Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Social Welfare Benefits
Keira Keogh (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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594. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the options available for a person (details supplied) who is unable to return to their job, due to injury, and has had their back to education payments revoked; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65435/25]
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision, as the person concerned cannot be deemed to be habitually resident in the state and therefore in accordance with Section 141 (9) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended) is not entitled to a Jobseeker's Allowance from 17 September 2025.
The person concerned will be notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision in the coming days.
A list of all schemes and services offered by the Department of Social Protection is available on the 'gov.ie' website and can be found through the following link (www.gov.ie/en/department-of-social-protection/collections/social-welfare-schemes-and-services/#jobseekers). Eligibility for each scheme is subject to the satisfaction of relevant scheme conditions.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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595. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the process for service users applying to both the PRSI wig grant and the HSE grant wig allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65473/25]
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Treatment Benefit Scheme provides dental, optical, aural and hair replacement products and services to insured workers, the self-employed, retired people and their dependent spouse/partner who have the required number of social insurance (PRSI) contributions.
The hair replacement benefit is an annual benefit of up to €500 available to persons who satisfy the medical requirements and the PRSI conditions of the Department’s Treatment Benefit scheme.
The payment assists people who have suffered hair loss due to a disease or treatment of a disease such as cancer or certain types of alopecia to purchase a hair replacement product.
Types of alopecia which qualify are:
- alopecia areata (which includes alopecia totalis/universalis, diffuse alopecia areata, alopecia ophiasis)
- primary scarring alopecias (also known as cicatricial alopecias)
- frontal fibrosing alopecia and lichen planopilaris (scarring alopecia)
- chemotherapy induced alopecia (anagen effluvium)
- alopecia resulting from surgery or trauma, including burns.
When a person meets the medical requirements and wishes to avail of the benefit, they should attend a hair replacement provider registered with the Department and provide confirmation of their medical condition. The provider will check the customer’s entitlement to benefit through the online channel Welfare Partners or by submitting an application form directly to Treatment Benefit Section.
Once eligibility has been confirmed the provider can supply the hair replacement product and make a claim for the grant using either Welfare Partners or a paper application. Spousal eligibility applications must be submitted via paper application and must be signed by the insured person to confirm consent. Once dependency is confirmed the claim can be made as above. All grants are paid directly to the provider. If the cost of the product supplied is more than the grant available, the balance is payable directly to the provider by the customer.
Contracted suppliers may provide a non-surgical scalp hair replacement product once per calendar year. Details of the qualifying medical conditions and the providers registered with the Department to provide hair replacement products are available on the gov.ie website.
In 2024, 4,531 customers availed of the scheme to the value of over €2.25 million.
Information in relation to the corresponding HSE's scheme is available directly from the HSE or from the Department of Health.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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596. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a number of schools (details supplied) will receive notice that they have received sanction under the school meals programme. [65537/25]
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
Following receipt of School Meals Funding applications from Drumboylan National School, Leitrim Village National School and St Hugh's NS, Dowra there was some further clarifications required on each of these applications. I'm pleased to advise that all three schools have been awarded and School Meals funding has issued.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
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