Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for being late. The proposal is to get an extra €10 million to ensure that the Christmas bonus is paid at a rate of 85%. Naturally, we support that. I also intended to ask about the huge increase in the figures relating to disability allowance. What is the reason for that?

As I understand it, the Social Insurance Fund is €262 million ahead of what it was expected to be this year. Is that correct? That is, in turn, €653 million ahead of the position for 2016. The Minister and her officials have indicated that this is correct. In last year's Social Welfare Act and budget, the Minister provided for the extension of invalidity pensions to the self-employed. A number of people have been in contact with me at constituency level about that and I made inquiries with the Department as recently as last week. I was told that the rules, forms and arrangements are not yet in place. I understood that this was supposed to start on 1 December, which is only a week away. I rang the Department directly but I cannot get any information on what the arrangements or rules will be for a self-employed person who wants to apply for the invalidity pension. Perhaps the Minister could clarify the position.