Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 Oct 1998

Vol. 494 No. 5

Written Answers. - Christmas Bonus.

Ivor Callely

Question:

54 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when the Christmas bonus will be paid to social welfare recipients in 1998; his views on whether a reflection of the current economic climate should be reflected in this year's bonus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18722/98]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

An amount of £40 million is provided in my Department's 1998 annual estimates to provide for payment of a Christmas bonus to certain social welfare recipients.

The bonus payment will amount to 70 per cent of the person's normal weekly payment subject to a minimum payment of £20, similar to the bonus paid in 1997, and payment will be made in the first week of December.

This payment will be made to 715,000 social welfare recipients in receipt of disablement pension, death benefit by way of pension, old age contributory and non-contributory pensions, retirement pension, invalidity pension, widow's and widower's non-contributory pension, widow's and widower's contributory pension, orphan's contributory and non-contributory pensions, pre-retirement allowance, blind pension, carer's allowance, one parent family payment, payments to people formerly in receipt of deserted wife's benefit and allowance and prisoner's wife's allowance unemployment assistance at the long-term rate and disability allowance.

I will shortly be bringing forward a regulation to provide for these payments.