Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 March 2017
159. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the reason pensioners who became recipients of the State pension on dates after November 2016 were not eligible for the 85% Christmas bonus; his plans to address this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12520/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Christmas Bonus payment was increased to 85% last year and was paid to over 1.2 million long-term social welfare recipients such as pensioners, people with disabilities, carers, lone parents and the long-term unemployed in the first week of December at a cost of €220 million.
The bonus is paid as an increase to a recipient’s weekly payment in the relevant week. For recipients of a State Pension, the relevant week was the 2nd to the 8th of December 2016 inclusive, as outlined in social welfare legislation (S.I. 570 of 2016). Accordingly, any person in receipt of a State Pension in November would be eligible for the Bonus payment in December.
I understand that my officials have been in contact with your office to determine whether there was a specific case behind your question. It transpires that in the particular case referenced, the person began to receive their pension payment from the 9th of December, which is unfortunately outside the relevant week of payment for the Christmas Bonus.
