Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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346. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection whether his Department holds or compiles data on the number of persons aged 65 years and over living alone in the State, beyond recipients of the living alone increase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50325/26]

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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347. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of recipients of the living alone increase aged 66 years and over, nationally and in County Cork, in each of the years 2021 to date in 2026, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50326/26]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 346 and 347 together.

The Living Alone Increase is an extra payment for people on social welfare payments who are living alone. My Department does not hold or compile data on the number of persons aged 65 and over who are living alone beyond the recipients of the living alone increase.

The Central Statistics Office published statistics on persons living alone, including an age and county breakdown, as part of the Census 2022 release. This is available from the CSO at: www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-cpp3/censusofpopulation2022profile3-householdsfamiliesandchildcare/privatehouseholdsandlivingalone/.

The number of recipients of the Living Alone Increase aged 66 and over, and the number of those in county Cork, are provided in the table below. The figures refer to the 31st December in each of the years 2021 to 2025, and the end of May 2026.