I am taking this question and Question No. 8 on behalf of Deputy Phelan. I would like to ask the Minister about the amount made available this year for the working family payment scheme, which, as we know, supports parents who are at work, and the additional funding that will be allocated as part of cost-of-living measures.

I thank the Minister for her response. The working family payment is a huge asset to many families. Many families on low incomes in my constituency find that the payment goes a long way in helping them to meet the shortfall between their income and expenditure. I welcome the increase in the payment the Minister outlined and the additional €4 million her Department has allocated to support families who need the payment. There are huge pressures on families right now to make ends meet, put fuel in their cars, heat th…

It is encouraging to hear the Minister refer to an average payment of €140 per week for those families who qualify for this payment. It is important that we encourage any family who believe they may be eligible for the working family payment and are not currently in receipt of it to look into the matter and apply for the payment. Does the Minister have any idea of the number of families who would be eligible but may not have applied for the payment? It would be good if the Department were to undertake an informatio…

This question relates to the reason people who receive jobseeker's benefit, illness benefit, enhanced illness benefit, occupational injuries benefit, maternity benefit or disablement benefit are automatically excluded from the fuel allowance, regardless of their income.

I thank the Minister for the explanation that the fuel allowance is targeted at people who are long-term financially dependent on the State and means-tested for the benefits they receive. This issue was brought to my attention by a number of my constituents in recent months. It seems unfair that a person who is in need of fuel allowance does not qualify because he or she receives one of the social protection payments I have listed. This is especially true in the cases of those who receive illness benefit, enhanced …

I welcome that review. A constituent contacted me who is in receipt of disability allowance and the occupational injuries benefit because of an accident they had in the 1990s. Their spouse is also in receipt of the invalidity payment. Even though they as a couple are below the assessable income threshold, they cannot receive the fuel allowance because of those two benefits. The reviews being undertaken will help some people in this situation. I welcome the work the Minister is doing on this and the fact she is keep…

I am taking this question on behalf of Deputy O'Dowd. Is the Department of Social Protection monitoring the impact of recent cost-of-living measures with a view to their effectiveness, given both inflation and the recent increases in energy prices?

I thank the Minister for her response and I welcome the steps she, the Department and the Government have taken so far to help with the rising costs of living. That includes, as the Minister pointed out, the 60% increase in fuel allowance, the rise in social welfare payments and that €200 electricity rebate. I know the Government cannot completely cushion or shelter everyone from the impacts of rising energy costs and inflation and we all recognise that many elements of this are outside of our control and driven by…

I welcome this initiative to include hate speech and hate crime in the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union. I fully support Ireland's approval of the initiative to extend the list of EU crimes. In Ireland, hate crimes are on the rise. Hate crimes and related incidents increased by more than 80% in the first six months of 2021, according to Garda figures. On a positive note, this increase may be due in part to people feeling more encouraged to report crimes of this nature because we are improving our rec…

We have had a turbulent two years. Unprecedented times are simply precedented now, as is our daily life. We have gone from the global emergency of a pandemic to the global impacts of war on European soil. We have gone from record savings just a few months ago to rates of inflation that I have never seen in my lifetime. The impact of that on family budgets cannot be underestimated. It can be seen in electricity bills, shopping receipts and at the petrol pumps. I commend the Minister on taking the unprecedented actio…

I wish everybody in the House and working in the Houses of the Oireachtas a very happy International Women's Day. As we celebrate it, many of us are thinking of the women of Ukraine who are fleeing their home country because of a war of Russia's making. I fully support Ireland's commitment of 100,000 welcomes to 100,000 Ukrainians, but unfortunately, many of the women who will be coming here from Ukraine will still face inequality when they get here. In the spirit of International Women's Day, how do we plan to sup…

I wish everybody in the Oireachtas a happy International Women's Day. I will use my time to highlight some of the areas in which we need to continue to make real progress for women. In recent years, we have delivered significant improvements in our country's approach to women's healthcare. The repeal of the eighth amendment, for example, was a momentous achievement for all of those who campaigned tirelessly and for so long to achieve it. Unfortunately, the legislation is not providing the access that many hoped it …

This week marks national eating disorders awareness week. I raise with the Taoiseach the damaging impact social media is having on the self-esteem and mental health of our young people, in particular when it comes to eating disorders. Only a few months ago, the Facebook whistleblower, Ms Frances Haugen, reported that Instagram targets pro-anorexia content towards young girls who show a vulnerability of low self-esteem and negative body image. The Instagram algorithm is basically selling these young people an eating…

I thank the Minister and his Department for all their work on this legislation. I pay tribute to all of those who may be watching proceedings today, who have fought so hard to shine a light on Ireland's deeply dark past. I have no doubt these proceedings are difficult for many to watch and listen to for a range of reasons and I respect them for their continued courage. Tribute must also be deservedly paid to Catherine Corless, without whom it is likely we would not even be discussing this legislation today. In a re…

I want to start by expressing my support and solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Their sovereignty and territorial integrity has been so illegally and callously attacked. As a country which has historically suffered many threats to our own sovereignty, our hearts in Ireland are breaking for the people in Ukraine and, indeed, for all those living through war while praying for peace. We have sent a very clear message to Russia - both as a country and as a member of the European Union - that Putin's war will not be…

The ideas and aims contained within the town centre first policy are positive. I am particularly struck by the level of cross-party support that has been expressed today, which I hope is a good omen for the success of this policy. Our towns and villages have shown remarkable resilience throughout the recent crisis. The move towards remote working has changed how many people not only work but live. It is a change most people have welcomed. We had reached a stage where many people, in particular young people, felt th…

I would like to ask about the medication, Cariban, which is used to treat the condition of hyperemesis during pregnancy. Hyperemesis is a very debilitating condition in which women experience almost constant vomiting and nausea for the duration of their pregnancy. Cariban has proven to be very effective in treating it, but it can cost up to €45 a week, or between €1,500 and €3,000 over the course of a pregnancy, which, I am sure the Minister will agree, is unaffordable. Unlike other drugs that the State pays for pa…

I thank the Acting Chair for her discretion. My apologies, but I was attending a committee meeting. This question is about the work being carried out by the Department to encourage and further develop philanthropy in Ireland.

I thank the Minister of State for his response. As he rightly outlined, the existence of a vibrant and thriving philanthropic community is a very important element of civic society. In recent years especially, we have seen outstanding philanthropic work from individuals and organisations. Even at times of such difficulty and constraint Irish people have always managed to find the time and means to think of others. This is something we should be very proud of as a nation. Annual philanthropic giving to registered ch…

I thank the Minister of State for his response. We know the regulatory and fiscal frameworks vary between countries. There is no single example of best practice in this regard. One aspect is, of course, Government support for philanthropic endeavour through providing tax or other incentives. The OECD has indicated there is no single accepted rationale for the preferential tax treatment of philanthropy. This is because it is such a complex area. It is critical that any tax incentive is used effectively and not in an…