Recipients of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) will receive the Christmas bonus on December 8th, officials from the Department of Social Protection have said. Those in receipt of the PUP for up to 17 weeks until December 3rd are eligible for the bonus, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands heard on Wednesday. Ronan Hession, assistant secretary general at the Department of Social Protection, said as of November 16th, there were just over 350,000 people in receipt of the PUP, valued at €103.8 million. The committee heard that from a sectoral perspective, measured in terms of PUP recipients, the re-introduction of restrictions has impacted accommodation and food “to the most significant extent”. Tánaiste Leo Varadkar signalled that a third wave of restrictions may be necessary in the New Year after the Christmas holiday period.

Source: The Irish Times November 25, 2020 13:30 UTC