Joe Walsh
Question:92 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will pay the Christmas bonus to recipients of disability benefit, unemployment benefit and short-term unemployment assistance. [18426/95]
Written Answers. - Christmas Bonuses.
The Christmas bonus was first introduced in December 1980 for recipients of social welfare pensions and allowances as well as recipients of long-term health payments. It was subsequently extended to include the long-term unemployed in receipt of Long-Term Unemployment Assistance.
The Christmas bonus, which is being paid this week at a cost of almost £40 million, amounts to 70 per cent of normal weekly payments subject to a minimum payment of £20. It will benefit almost 1.25 million people i.e. about 755,000 recipients and their 500,000 dependants and goes to those receiving Old Age, Retirement, Widows, Widowers and Invalidity Pensions, Lone Parent's Allowance, Unemployment Assistance at the long-term rate, Carer's Allowance, Disabled Person's Maintenance Allowance as well as FÁS and CERT trainees. All participants on Community Employment are also getting the bonus this year. I have no plans at present to extend the bonus to other categories.