Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have just one comment, just in case anybody misunderstood what I said. I welcome the one-off payments but the more they are paid, the more necessary it is to have a structure. I have said time and again regarding the Christmas bonuses that their structure should be such that nobody will be able to say in a future year that, because the Exchequer is a bit short, they will not be paid. People are beginning to depend on these payments. They are a great idea as many people on welfare are struggling. It will be great for them to have a little extra in a few weeks when the lump sum comes. If you get the same amount every week, you may not save anything. The bonuses are a great idea but I worry that if they are paid out for a long time, somebody will, at the stroke of a pen, say they cannot be afforded in a given year, meaning those anticipating them will be caught short. That is my concern and it is something we all need to reflect on.