Cecilia Keaveney
Ceist:61 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Social Welfare the plans, if any, he has to reduce the amount of time it takes to qualify for the Christmas bonus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21885/96]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Christmas Bonus.
In line with previous years, this year's Christmas bonus will be paid to people in receipt of long-term social welfare payments including those receiving old age, retirement, widow's, widower's, 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.
People in receipt of short-term social welfare payments, such as disability benefit, unemployment benefit and unemployment aassistance at the short-term rate, are not eligible for the Christmas bonus. I have no plans at present to enable recipients of short-term payments to qualify. Any extension of the Christmas bonus along those lines would have substantial cost implications which could only be considered in the light of available resources.
This year's Christmas bonus will cost a total of £41.7 million. As in previous years, it 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 of December and will benefit almost 800,000 recipients and their 500,000 dependants, that is, a total of 1.3 million beneficiaries.