Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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64. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide a full list of payments which will be eligible for the Christmas bonus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61057/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I was pleased to announce on Budget Day that a 100% Christmas Bonus will be paid this year benefitting 1.3 million people in receipt of long-term social welfare payments. 

The Bonus includes payments to 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.

I am particularly pleased that, for the first time, the Christmas Bonus is being extended to long-term recipients of Illness Benefit.

This payment is an additional help to people as we enter the Christmas period and much of this is spent locally, supporting local economies throughout the country.  Given the ongoing cost of living pressures, this will be a particularly important support for low-income households this year.  

The list of Social Protection payments which are eligible for the Christmas Bonus is below.

* 12 months duration on eligible social welfare payment or scheme is required in order to be eligible for the Bonus. Time spent on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is included in jobseeker qualifying period.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.