Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

308. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if recipients of illness benefit or Covid-19 illness benefit will receive the Christmas bonus; if not, if she will take steps to ensure that recipients of the benefits will get the Christmas bonus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42596/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Christmas Bonus is being paid this week to long-term social welfare recipients, such as pensioners, people with disabilities, carers, lone parents and the long-term unemployed in recognition of their long-term financial dependence on their social welfare payment for all, or most, of their income.  

In recognition of the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on employment levels and the sudden financial impact on individuals, the Bonus is, on a once-off basis only, being paid this year to those in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment for a period of seventeen weeks or more and who are in payment on the date the Bonus is paid.  It is also being paid to people on equivalent jobseeker payments who have been in receipt of these payments for four months or more. 

The reason Illness Benefit is not a qualifying payment for the Christmas Bonus is that, in the majority of cases, Illness Benefit is a short-term payment for those who need to take time out from their employment due to illness.

People who are permanently incapable of work may be eligible for Invalidity Pension, subject to satisfying the relevant medical and social insurance contribution criteria.  Those 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 Invalidity Pension and Disability Allowance are eligible for the Christmas Bonus, and may also be eligible for other benefits including Fuel Allowance and the Household Benefits Package. 

Any change to the current eligibility criteria for the Christmas Bonus payment would have to be considered in the overall policy and budgetary context.