Joe Walsh
Ceist:188 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the plans, if any, he has to extend Christmas bonus to all social welfare beneficiaries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24953/96]
Written Answers. - Christmas Bonus.
In line with previous years, this year's Christmas bonus has been paid 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. In all, almost 800,000 recipients and their 500,000 dependants i.e. a total of 1.3 million people have benefited from this payment.
People in receipt of short-term social welfare payments, such as disability benefit, unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance at the short-term rate, are not eligible for the Christmas bonus. I have no plans at present to extend the bonus to those recipients. Any such extension would have substantial cost implications which could be considered only in the light of available resources.