As the Deputy will be aware, the Christmas bonus will again be paid this year to all recipients of long-term social welfare payments, at a rate equivalent to 100% of the person's normal weekly payment, subject to a minimum payment of €30. The measure will cost an estimated €127.4 million in 2004 and will benefit 1.2 million persons comprising 816,000 recipients and 386,000 dependents.
The estimated cost of extending the Christmas bonus to all persons in receipt of short-term payments, including short-term unemployment payments, disability, maternity benefit, carer's benefit, family income supplement and supplementary welfare allowance, is €28.3 million. The number of persons currently receiving these short-term payments is 196,000.