One issue that pertains to this was brought to my attention last week. It pertains to a number of schools in the Connemara region. Unfortunately, due to the upgrading of guidelines over the summer preventing food from being heated or cooked on site, a number of operators are no longer providing a service to these schools, which has resulted in the loss of the service for the children and families there. The schools are trying to source a new provider but they are having difficulty in doing so. The alteration of the guidelines has caused one or two concerns we need to look at.

Sentiment score: -0.22

92. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of active participants in the fish assist scheme in each county, in tabular form; to consider an increase in the rate of payment under the fish assist scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50828/25]

Sentiment score: 0.22

What is the number of participants in the fish assist scheme? How many are there per county? Could we get that information? In light of budget 2026, will the Minister look at the scheme to see if it could be made more attractive for more participants?

Sentiment score: 0.14

I thank the Minister. It is quite a low number of participants considering we are an island nation. Fishing has been a traditional means of earning a living and sustaining some vibrancy in coastal communities in this country for centuries. The number the Minister has given us as regards people availing of this scheme is an indicator of the number of people involved in the industry in general. That is a matter for another debate on another occasion. One of the things we could look at in trying to ensure people continue in this trade and craft is the other small marine-based trades and industries that could avail of fish assist or for which a similar scheme could be introduced. I think particularly of seaweed harvesting. One of the things about the fish assist scheme that prevents people from also participating in seaweed harvesting is that any income above £1000, that is, €1,270, gained from seaweed harvesting eliminates the opportunity to avail of the fish assist scheme.

Sentiment score: 0.18

I again ask the Minister to look at that low threshold for seaweed harvesters. The income threshold for seaweed harvesters who might wish to also participate in the fish assist scheme is very low. It has not changed since the mid-nineties. It is €1,270. Taking inflation over the years into account, we could look at increasing that figure. The equivalent figure today might be €6,000 or €7,000. That would not be a regressive step at all but quite a positive one. Failing that, perhaps we could look at some other type of scheme akin to the fish assist scheme for seaweed harvesters that would be purely for their own industry and trade.

Sentiment score: 0.01

I wish to ask the Minister about the commitment in the programme for Government to examine the anomalies in the means test for disability payments. Have we progressed that work?

Sentiment score: 0.32

I understand the Department is currently reviewing means testing across all of our schemes. Has that job of work progressed? When might we expect its completion? I refer in particular to the means test for the disability allowance. One issue is that a slight increase in household income can lead to a substantial decrease in the allowance paid to disabled members of society. That is one of the major anomalies the review of the means test should examine.

Sentiment score: 0.08

The programme for Government also makes a commitment to introduce a permanent annual cost-of-disability support payment, with a view to incrementally increasing it over the lifetime of the Government's term. Is this part of the current considerations in terms of the review of the disability payment?

Sentiment score: 0.32