Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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59. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that long term sick claimants of illness benefit supports are not permitted to avail of the Christmas bonus announced recently for unemployed recipients; her plans to widen the Christmas bonus qualifying criteria for persons claiming illness benefit for up to eight years and more; if she will widen the fuel allowance scheme to allow these claimants to avail of equal treatment than those availing of unemployment supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47458/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Christmas bonus was paid last week to over 1.2 million long-term social welfare recipients at a cost of €65 million. The Bonus was introduced in 1980 and paid annually (at varying rates) until it was abolished in 2009.

I was pleased to be in the position to partially restore the bonus this year. A 25% bonus (subject to a minimum payment of €20) was paid to the beneficiaries of all schemes to which the bonus previously applied. It should be noted that illness benefit was never eligible for the bonus in the past and this condition continues to apply this year.

Persons who are permanently incapable of work may be eligible for the non-means tested Invalidity Pension (subject to satisfying the relevant medical criteria). Persons who are substantially restricted in undertaking suitable employment arising from a medical condition may be eligible for the means tested Disability Allowance (subject to the relevant medical criteria). All recipients of both of these payments are eligible for the Christmas Bonus, as well as additional benefits including free travel and the household benefits package.

Furthermore, they may also be eligible for the fuel allowance (subject to satisfying the household composition conditions and the means test).

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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61. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that persons who have been continuously unemployed for more than the 391 cumulative-paid total days are required to avail of the Christmas bonus, due to the fact that they are no longer part of another person's claim; if this qualifying period of 391 days will be assessable against joint claims; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47467/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Christmas Bonus was paid last week to over 1.2 million recipients at a cost of €65 million. The Bonus was originally introduced in 1980 for certain recipients and extended to long-term jobseekers in 1985. The bonus was paid annually until it was abolished in 2009.

I was pleased to be in a position to partially restore the bonus this year. A 25% bonus (subject to a minimum payment of €20) was paid to the beneficiaries of all schemes to which the bonus previously applied.

In order to receive the bonus, a person must have been in receipt of a jobseeker’s allowance payment for 391 days, including any time spent on jobseeker’s benefit. The 25% bonus applies to the recipient’s weekly social welfare payment including any increases for a qualified adult and/or for qualified children. For example, a long-term unemployed jobseeker with no means, in receipt of a personal rate, a qualified adult rate and with two child dependants, would receive a bonus of €93.10.

Where both members of couple are individually in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance, eligibility for the bonus is based on the individual duration of each member of the couple on a jobseekers payment. Thus, a bonus is paid to each member of the couple provided both (individually) have a duration of 391 days or more, to one member where one has a duration of 391 days or more and to neither member where both (individually) have a duration of less than 391 days.

Time spent as a qualified adult on another person’s jobseeker’s payment is not counted, for bonus purposes, in order to determine the duration on a jobseeker’s payment. These arrangements are unchanged since the bonus was first introduced for long-term jobseekers.