Robert Molloy
Ceist:52 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether provision has been made for Christmas bonus payments for 1996; if so, the categories which will be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18592/96]
Written Answers. - Christmas Bonus Payments.
Ivor Callely
Ceist:140 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social Welfare the category of social welfare recipients who will receive a Christmas bonus; the date of payment of such a bonus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18700/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 140 together.
The Government decided at its meeting yesterday to approve the payment of a Christmas bonus again this year to certain social welfare recipients and others at a cost of £41.7 million, of which £38 million is appropriate to my Department. The balance is appropriate to the Department of Enterprise and Employment in respect of participants on community employment and other schemes and to the Department of Health in respect of certain health benefits. As in previous years, the bonus will amount to 70 per cent of normal weekly payments and there will be a minimum payment of £20. It will be paid during the first week in December and will benefit almost 800,000 recipients and their 500,000 dependants i.e. a total of 1.3 million beneficiaries.
In line with previous years, the bonus will be paid by the Department of Social Welfare to people in receipt of long-term social welfare payments including those receiving old age, retirement, widows', widowers', invalidity pensions, lone parent's allowance, unemployment assistance at the long-term rate, carer's allowance, disability allowance, (formerly disabled person's maintenance allowance), as well as FÁS and CERT trainees.