An extra €200 cost of living payment could be given to pensioners, carers, the disabled and all on long-term social welfare.
Senior Government sources described it as “another Christmas bonus” and it is expected to be agreed by the rest of the Cabinet at the sign-off meeting today. Every family in the country is in line for an immediate €100 bonus to help pay for the rising cost of rearing a child during the crisis, plus another €100 in August.
The second payment is set to be paid in a similar way to the clothing and footwear allowance available to parents every year. It is understood none of these were opposed by Finance Minister Michael McGrath who holds the Government purse strings, during crunch talks last night.
