Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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647. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to extend the Christmas bonus to those in receipt of illness benefit; the estimated cost of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50076/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I was pleased to announce on Budget Day that an 85% Christmas bonus will be paid this year to over 1.2 million long-term social welfare recipients, such as pensioners, people with disabilities, carers, lone parents and long-term jobseekers at a cost of €219 million.

The Christmas bonus is payable to persons who are in receipt of long term social welfare payments. Illness Benefit is primarily a short term scheme and, as such, has never been a qualifying payment for the purpose of the Christmas bonus.

While the short-term Illness Benefit scheme is not eligible for the bonus, long-term illness/disability payments are eligible. In this regard, persons who are permanently incapable of work may be eligible for the contributory-based 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). Recipients of both of these payments are eligible for the Christmas Bonus.

The estimated cost of providing an 85% Christmas Bonus to Illness Benefit recipients is €9.11 million. However, there are no plans to change the current arrangements.