A proposal to restore the Christmas bonus by way of redeemable shopping vouchers has been made by Beverley Flynn TD.
She said that restoring the Christmas bonuses to social welfare recipients in this way would be a welcome boost to local business as well as providing spending power to the less well off.
“Many small businesses are struggling at the moment and are facing into a bleak Christmas,” she said. “Shopkeepers and traders in small towns of rural Ireland are finding it hard to keep their doors open. It would be a huge boost to local businesses if social welfare recipients were paid the Christmas bonus in voucher format to be exchanged at full rate for goods and services in shops, restaurants, and businesses in the local community.”
Deputy Flynn said that the abolition of the Christmas bonus means that people will have less money to spend and the local economy will have that much less in circulation.
“My proposal is that the bonuses should be restored, not in cash but in redeemable vouchers which would buy goods and services at full face value in local shops and businesses,” she said.
“In that way, the Christmas bonus would be spent not across the border but right in the local community and shops and businesses would benefit. More money would be in circulation and families would be able to buy a few extra luxuries for the festive season,” Dep Flynn concluded.
