Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 151: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 866 of 16 September 2009; if she will provide an answer to the question posed as none was provided in her original reply. [32747/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Christmas Bonus payment was introduced in December, 1980, for social welfare pensioners and people who are in receipt of long term social welfare payments. There have been a number of developments in this scheme since its inception, including upwards and downwards adjustments in the level of the bonus payment. Each year the Government makes a specific decision on the payment of the Christmas bonus having regard to the prevailing economic circumstances. A Temporary Provisions Statutory Instrument is made each year to give effect to the Christmas Bonus payment for that year only.

This year it has been necessary for the Government to take steps to reduce overall public expenditure so as to restore order and stability to the public finances. In this context, the decision was made that the Christmas bonus would not be paid in 2009. The decision was announced in the April 2009 Supplementary Budget to give people advance notice so that they could adjust their finances accordingly. Since there is no legislative basis for continuing entitlement to the bonus it has not been necessary to seek legal advice on the matter.