asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she intends to follow the precedent set by the previous Government and pay a double week at Christmas to all long-term social welfare beneficiaries.

18.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if it is her intention to have an extra week's payment of social welfare moneys made this Christmas to long-term recipients.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 18 together.

It is proposed to pay a double payment to all recipients of long-term social welfare payments in the week ending 12 December 1981. The necessary Bill to give effect to these proposals will be introduced shortly.

Could I ask the Minister of State if the method to be used will be similar to the method used last year which was to double the face value, or what method is intended?

I gather that the method will be very similar to last year's and will involve a double payment in the same form.

Can we take it that the payment will be made in the week commencing 7 December?

As I said, in the week ending 12 December.

Will the payment be applicable to people in receipt of monthly as well as weekly payments? Such people were not considered last year.

It will be for all recipients of long-term benefits to include old age pensions, contributory and non-contributory, blind pensions, widow's and orphan's pension, contributory and non-contributory retirement pension, invalidity pension, deserted wife's benefit and allowance, social assistance allowance for unmarried mothers, pensioners, wives and single women, occupational injury benefit, disablement pension, death benefit pension, disabled person's maintenance allowance, infectious diseases maintenance allowance, blind welfare allowance——

Might I interrupt the Minister of State? That is not the question I asked. People paid on a monthly basis did not receive double payment last year.

The groups I mentioned are the groups who will be affected. I am not clear myself as to whether that involves the group of people the Deputy is asking about. If he wants to specify afterwards I will check it out for him.

By way of clarification might I ask the Minister of State if she understands that the monthly payments were, of course, paid last year on a weekly basis? In other words you could not have a double monthly payment but you could have a double of one week. That method was used last year, a double week was paid.

I have had cases where they did not receive any double payment. I would like the Minister to inquire into it.

Of those listed and intended if there are any who did not receive and should have received then clearly there is injustice. All those listed would be entitled to a double week's payment. I do not know if that is the information the Deputy is looking for.

When is the legislation likely to come before the House? The Minister of State has mentioned the legislation and naturally we on this side of the House welcome the legislation very much. I am glad that it is coming before the House.

We are equally glad it is coming before the House. A Bill to give effect to double social welfare will be introduced in the Dáil as soon as possible.

19.