Again, I do not disagree. We have a designated employment personal adviser in the 62 Intreo offices nationwide for disabled people to meet and discuss employment options. I have changed the work and access scheme. The work and access scheme offers seven different supports to facilitate those with disabilities in the workforce. I changed it to include assistive technology, which is a new thing. In May 2026, there were 1,568 employers supporting 2,621 employees through the wage subsidy scheme. That is not enough. We …

I thank the Deputy for his question. The programme for Government contains a commitment to continue to significantly increase the income disregard for carer's allowance across a series of budgets with a view of phasing out the means test over the lifetime of the Government. Budget 2026 has increased the earnings disregard for carer's allowance to €1,000 for a single person and €2,000 for a couple. Those changes will be effective from July this year. These are the largest ever increases in the carer's allowance inco…

To be clear, the medical card means test is a matter for the Department of Health and the HSE. It is not a matter for the Department of Social Protection. Our commitment in relation to carers is increasing the income disregard with a view to phasing out the means test for carers between now and 2029 - the lifetime of the Government. There is the carer's support grant and increasing the weekly rates for that income for carers. I assure the Deputy that I will engage with the Minister in relation to the forthcoming in…

I reiterate to the Deputy that we will engage with the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. We are looking at all of our schemes to see what is stopping people from applying. At the start of the session this morning, Deputy O'Reilly raised other points in that space. I am open to feedback in relation to that. As we go to a situation where somebody on €108,000 can still access the full carer's payment, we obviously have issues that not everybody is applying for it. I am going to drill down on those issues. We will the…

Matters relating to foster care are the responsibility of my colleague the Minister, Deputy Foley. However, the Government acknowledges the very important role of all carers, including foster carers. We remain fully committed to supporting them. Once the minimum requirement of ten years' paid contributions is met, the State contributory pension system provides a range of measures to recognise caring periods outside of paid employment. These include PRSI credits, homemaking disregards and home caring periods. Homema…

I agree; an extraordinary service is provided. It gives stability and changes outcomes which would otherwise be very different. Tusla manages the foster parent-foster carer system. It pays the foster carer allowance which is €400 per week for per child under 12 and €425 per child 12 or over. That is to offset expenses. Accordingly, it does not affect tax. It is not assessed as a means for social assistance payments. We will look at further supports but anything we do in the State pension context has to have the ove…

We made changes last year in relation to the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance. Where we can, we will continue to do that. From the perspective of the children fortunate enough to receive foster care, it is a changer for them. Many have gone through multiples of carers and generations so it is an area I am looking at. I am also looking at the area of kinship. Along with Deputy McGreehan, I met the Kinship Care Ireland last year. We want to see how we can do more to support that but I would not like to …

The programme for Government contains a commitment to protect core welfare rates while ensuring that available resources are targeted at vulnerable groups. It also includes a commitment to examine key ancillary benefits, including the fuel allowance, household benefits package and living alone allowance to support vulnerable groups. This is an ongoing activity as part of the Department's budget planning each year. As part of budget 2026, I increased the weekly rate of fuel allowance by €5 which increased the weekly…

Absolutely. We will be looking at those targeted supports. This year, we have increased the fuel allowance rate by €5 per week and extended the season by four weeks. Most importantly, we sponsored the working family payment in order that those on low incomes can access the fuel allowance payment. We ensured that we backdated this to 1 January. That is the kind of area I want to look at in the context of targeting payments to support those under the most pressure and, in particular, to support, as we have discussed …

The incidences the Deputy cites relate to an area I am very focused on and concerned about, namely where a person loses their partner and then faces a massive and sudden drop in income while the bills remain the same. We will be looking at all of our schemes in that context. This year, we have taken action to increase the fuel allowance and expand the scheme. On foot of the war in Iran, we expanded the season by four weeks. That is a very targeted payment. I do not know if the Deputy was here earlier for the discus…

I am not in position to discuss in detail any measures that will be in budget 2027. Work is under way in relation to that, and the details have to be discussed within Government. However, we have made it clear that we recognise that there are significant additional costs which disabled people face in their daily lives. We are committed to addressing this as a priority over the term of this Government. That is why we have the commitment to introduce the permanent cost-of-disability payment. This initiative will add …

I will absolutely be bringing it to Government. I still hope to do so if not by the end of June then very early in July. That is a consequence of 1,100 people who participated, including three of the four political parties represented in the House at the moment. I cannot recall receiving a submission from the Deputy's party in relation to how it might work or with regard to making the tough choices as to how it might be paid and how it might be outlined. Sinn Féin and the Social Democrats are the two other parties …

The Deputy's proposals would drive people into unemployment, reduce our tax bases and reduce our ability to actually address this because without a sustainable economy and without sustainable resources, we cannot make these kinds of payments. That is not a tough choice. The Deputy is making a choice that will impair our ability to address and assist people with disabilities. What we are trying to do is have a programme that works and has a backup. We had 1,173 responses to the process. That was an extraordinary res…

The answer is "Yes". I am going to engage with Deputy Conway-Walsh and any other rural TD, in particular, who may have other examples in this space. I am very much aware of people getting appointments at short notice and - this is a real bugbear of mine - people getting appointments at a time that they have to stay overnight the night before because they cannot get transport. I will engage directly with Deputy Conway-Walsh in relation to her proposal in this space.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanad as an deis a thabhairt dom teacht os a chomhair inniu agus muid ag tabhairt faoin Dara Céim den Bhille um Údarás na Gaeltachta (Leasú), 2024 i Seanad Éireann. Tá go leor oibre déanta ar an mBille seo ó tionscnaíodh é ar dtús i mí Iúil 2024 agus go deimhin rinneadh neart plé fiúntach maidir leis an mBille i nDáil Éireann agus aontaíodh roinnt leasuithe air le linn an phróisis sin. Tá súil agam go mbeidh athbhunú toghchán Údarás na Gaeltachta in ann nasc an phobail Ghaeltachta le hÚdar…

Gabhaim buíochas le gach Seanadóir a ghlac páirt sa díospóireacht seo. Ag seasamh taobh amuigh den Bhille, tá an gairdín sin i dTrá Mhór dochreidte. I will say it in English. The Lafcadio Hearn Gardens to which Senator Conway referred is a must-go. I recommend everyone to visit. It is a fantastic community project. Tiontóidh mé ar ais chuig an mBille anois. Is Bille tábhachtach é. Tá na dúshláin atá ag an nGaeltacht leagtha amach ag na Seanadóirí, mar aon leis na deiseanna atá aici ag an bpointe seo. Tá ról an údar…

Tairgim leasú Uimh. 1: Ar leathanach 7, líne 11, “agus” a scriosadh agus “do leasú an Achta Rialtais Áitiúil, 2001; agus” a chur ina ionad. Is leasú teicniúil é leasú Uimh. 1 atá á mholadh agam mar aon le leasú Uimh. 32, rud a leasóidh an tAcht Rialtais Áitiúil tríd an mBille seo freisin. Ní mór é seo a léiriú ag tús an Bhille, áit a leagtar amach cuspóir an Bhille. Deimhníonn an leasú sin mar atá leagtha amach i leasú Uimh. 32 gur aidhm de chuid an Aire Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail, agus Gaeltachta í an aidhm mai…

Tairgim leasú Uimh. 2: Ar leathanach 7, líne 19, “tAire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán” a scriosadh agus “tAire Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail agus Gaeltachta” a chur ina ionad.

Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí. Tá scileanna áirithe riachtanach ar bhoird Stáit agus, go deimhin, ar bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta. Tugann meascán do bhaill thofa agus baill cheaptha deis chun a chinntiú go bhfuil meascán áirithe de scileanna, taithí, saineolas agus ionadaíocht ag an mbord. An uair dheireanach a reáchtáladh comórtas le haghaidh bhord an údaráis, bhí scileanna áirithe san áireamh nach mór d'iarrthóirí taithí a léiriú iontu. Is iad na scileanna a bhí san áireamh ná cur chun cinn na Gaeilge agus plea…

Is bord Stáit é sin freisin. Ba cheart go mbeadh gach duine atá ar an mbord freagrach ní hamháin do cheantar áirithe, ach don Stát. Tá sé tábhachtach go mbeidh guth ag na ceantair air ach is bord Stáit é a bhfuil dlíthe ag baint leis. Tá an Teachta Farrell ar an gCoiste um Chuntais Phoiblí nó bhí sí.