Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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565. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a person in receipt of illness benefit is not entitled to a Christmas bonus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49067/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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A Christmas Bonus payment is paid to all customers on a long term social welfare payment.  In the week commencing 3 December this year, a 100% Christmas Bonus payment will be made to approximately 1.2 million social welfare recipient at an estimated cost of €264.3 million.

However, as illness benefit is a short term social welfare payment, people in receipt of same are not entitled to the Christmas bonus.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.