FIANNA FÁIL TD Noel O’Flynn has called on the Government to pay the annual Christmas bonus for individuals on social welfare payments in order to avoid unnecessary hardship for vulnerable families over the Christmas period.
North Cork Central’s Mr O’Flynn, critical of his party’s decision to abolish the automatic right to the medical card for over 70s, said he has 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 Government has said it will clarify the situation in the coming days.
Some 1.3 million social welfare recipients and their dependants usually benefit from the Christmas bonus double payment.
The money is normally paid in the first week of December. The bonus is equivalent to 100 per cent of the normal weekly payment. Last year’s payment was the eighth year in a row in which the Government provided the bonus.
Bríd O’Brien of the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed said it would be “dreadful” if the payment was withheld.