502. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the main policy achievements of his Department since 22 January 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50809/26]

My Department has delivered significant achievements since 22nd January 2025.

The Social Protection Budget for 2026 is €28.9 billion, which includes an above inflation increase of €10 per week in the maximum weekly personal rates of payment. It also includes measures targeted to assist families and to tackle child poverty, including the largest Child Support Payment increase in the history of the state. Additional supports were provided such as the largest ever increase in the income disregard for Carer’s Allowance, i.e., an increase of €375 to €1,000 for single people, and an increase of €750 to €2,000 for a couple. This means that a carer in a two-adult household with an income of over €100,000 will retain their full Carer’s Allowance payment. This measure came into effect last week. Other measures included in the Budget saw increases in the weekly rate of Fuel Allowance, Working Family Payment and Domiciliary Care Allowance, among others.

The Automatic Enrolment retirement savings system MyFutureFund was introduced in January 2026 and is now fully operational. The National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority has assumed responsibility for all related matters. Some 835,000 people have been automatically enrolled and over 9,000 have opted in, across over 112,750 employers. Over 99% of employers have registered with payment details.

Another significant development was the roll-out of the Free Hot School Meals Programme which was extended to all primary schools from September 2025 supporting 3,200 schools benefitting more than 550,000 children. Across all meal types there some 3,700 schools and 682,000 children eligible for the School Meals Programme. The Department has seconded a CORU-registered dietician for the School Meals Programme who is under the clinical supervision of the Department of Health. One of their main tasks is an in-depth review of school meal supplier menus and their compliance with the nutritional standards. I expect to receive the full review in early Quarter 3. New procurement documentation was developed with the Department of Education and Youth to assist schools in aspects of the Programme.

My Department launched the Pay Related Benefit for jobseekers on 31 March 2025. There were just over 34,500 jobseekers in receipt of the payment in June 2026. The scheme provides a maximum weekly payment of €450, which helps people during the period of uncertainty while they seek new employment.

The Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2025 was enacted on the 21st of July 2025. This legislation provides entitlement to unmarried cohabitants to the Bereaved Partner's Pension, which replaces the Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory Pension.

A new Child Poverty Target was approved by Government and announced in September 2025.

The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2026–2030 was published in May 2026 and launched at the Social Inclusion Forum.

A successor Pathways to Work strategy for the period 2026-2030 is currently being finalised. Drafting of the strategy is at an advanced stage, informed by the extensive consultation process.

A public consultation on a potential new Working Age and targeted Child Payments was launched in April. The closing date for submissions was 12 June. Over 270 submissions were received and these are currently being reviewed.

Over 1,100 submissions were received on a public consultation on a Cost of Disability payment. These are currently being considered with a view to developing a proposal for Budget 2027.