Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 October 2023
360. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will publish the payment dates of all additional lump sum payments announced as part of budget 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44933/23]
View answerIn response to the ongoing cost of living pressures, I have secured a package of €2.3 billion for Social Protection measures as part of Budget 2024. This represents the largest Budget package for the Department of Social Protection in the history of the State and will help to support our pensioners, carers, people with disabilities, lone parents and families during this difficult period.
As part of this package, a wide range of lump-sum payments will be paid between in the coming months. In the second half of November the following lump sums will be paid:
• €400 to Working Family Payment recipients
• €400 to recipients of Disability Allowance, Blind Pension and Invalidity Pension
• €400 to recipients of the Carer’s Support Grant
• €200 to recipients of the Living Alone Allowance
• €300 to all Fuel Allowance recipients in 2023 and
• €100 for each child in respect of whom an Increase for a Qualified Child is in payment.
In early December there will be a double payment of Child Benefit and a 100% Christmas Bonus. At the end of January 2024 there will be another 100% double payment similar to the Christmas Bonus.
My Department is currently working on developing the IT systems to issue each of these payments and a timetable with the full schedule of dates for each payment will be published shortly.
