27/10/2008

Christmas Welfare Bonus Confirmed

The Minister for Social and Family Affairs has confirmed the annual welfare bonus will be paid this year in time for Christmas.

There was widespread concern from poverty action groups over the weekend that it would not be paid as part of the mass cuts in the Budget, but Minister Mary Hanafin has announced the approximate 1.3 million presently on welfare will receive their double payment in December.

The announcement follows calls from Fianna Fail TD Noel O'Flynn, who this morning urged the Government to pay the annual Christmas bonus in order to avoid unnecessary hardship for vulnerable families over the Christmas period.

North Cork Central’s Mr O’Flynn, also criticized his party’s decision to abolish the automatic right to the medical card for over 70s, and said he had been inundated with calls from concerned citizens about the annual Christmas bonus for individuals on social welfare.

"I would hope the Government would have something very positive to say about this in the next number of days and this bonus would be paid to the most vulnerable," said Mr O’Flynn.

Last week, Labour TD Róisín Shortall also sought clarification on whether the customary bonus payments would be made to social welfare recipients at Christmas.

The confirmation is expected to be widely welcomed in the Daíl despite the already overstretching on public finances.

(DW)

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