Around 1.3 million people will be paid the social welfare Christmas bonus next week.
Details of the payments have been outlined this morning by the Social Protection Minister.
The Christmas Bonus comes with a price tag to the state of over 300 million euro
It will see pensioners, carers, people with disabilities, widows and
lone parents among others get a double payment of their social welfare allowance next week.
Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys says it's part of a string of cost of living payments
This year's Christmas bonus is also being extended to those on long term illness benefit for the first time
While the majority of people on this payment are there for a short time, anyone on it for 12 months or longer will get the Christmas Bonus
It adds around 17,500 people to the recipients of the bonus
Overall around 1.3 million people will get an extra payment next week
