Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will certainly remind the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, of the matter and we will be proactive in encouraging credit unions to take part in the scheme. It is important to point out in addition that the Christmas bonus is being paid last week and this week.

For the first time in a very long time it is being paid at 100% of the weekly payment. I hope that will help hundreds of thousands of people to afford the Christmas bills. As the Deputies know, that was abolished by the Fianna Fáil Party and Deputy Micheál Martin when last in government.

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