Postal strike won’t affect delivery of welfare bonuses

The Minister for Social Affairs Seamus Brennan has said that any disruption to the postal service won't affect the delivery of special Christmas social welfare payments.

Mr Brennan said urgent meetings are being held to ensure the money will be paid, in the event that postal workers go on strike as they have threatened to do.

The Minister said he is “determined” that people will get these bonus payments, as many families depend on them to fund Christmas expenses.

He said that his department will advise people where and how to receive their money, if it happens that the payments do not reach them by post.

The bonus double-payment at Christmas will benefit over 830,000 people on social welfare and will cost the department just under €140m.