Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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44. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection why the Christmas bonus is only given to persons on the live register for 15 months or longer, given that persons who are only recently unemployed feel discriminated against; the rationale behind this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46451/15]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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74. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection why the Christmas bonus does not apply to persons on short-term payments; if she will address this matter and change this retrospectively in respect of 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46680/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 74 together.

The Christmas bonus was introduced in 1980 for certain welfare schemes and was extended to long-term jobseekers in 1985. Payment of the bonus was abolished by the previous Government in 2009.

I was pleased to re-introduce the bonus in December 2014 at a rate of 25%. On Budget Day, I announced a 75% Christmas bonus for 2015, which was paid to over 1.2 million beneficiaries in December last at a cost of circa €197 million.

The bonus paid in 2014 and in 2015 applied to all of the schemes to which it previously applied as well as the new back to work family dividend in 2015. The bonus was never paid to short-term welfare recipients including jobseekers with a duration of less than 15 months and illness benefit recipients generally. These arrangements have been continued and I have no plans to revisit the bonus arrangements for 2015.

The key achievement of this Government has been to stabilise the nation’s finances, to increase employment and to achieve economic growth. This endeavour is well underway and we are already reaping the benefits of these policies, including, the ability to invest in the improvements I have announced over the last two years in welfare supports. These improvements have included the re-introduction of the bonus as well as a wide range of other Budget measures such as increases for pensioners, families and carers in Budget 2016 which cost an additional €264 million.