Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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158. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the amount of money that would be saved in each year if the Christmas bonus was discontinued; the cost of the partial restoration in 2014; the projected cost of a full restoration by December 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24618/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Christmas bonus was abolished in 2009; it was estimated at the time that a 100% Bonus in 2009 would have cost in the order of €244 million. I was pleased to be in the position to partially restore the bonus last year. A 25% bonus was paid in the first week of December to social welfare recipients such as pensioners, people with disabilities, carers and the long-term unemployed, at a cost of €65 million.

It is estimated that it would cost at least €260 million for the payment of a 100% Christmas Bonus in 2015.