The total amount paid as part of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) in the Republic has now reached €4 billion, the Department of Social Protection said on Monday.
The figure includes this week’s payment, which saw €99 million issued to 342,505 people.
This is an increase of just over 12,500 or four per cent on the number paid last week, in the slowest rise seen since the nationwide move to the highest level of Covid-19 restrictions - Level 5 - three weeks ago.
The limiting of restaurants to takeaway and closing of non-essential retail until December 1st has forced almost 100,000 more people to sign up for the payment, fewer so far than the 150,000 estimated by government when it introduced the new curbs.
Ireland's unemployment rate, including PUP recipients, rose to 20.2 per cent at the end of October.
Minister Heather Humphreys said the continued rise of PUP recipients seen in this week’s figures was “anticipated” due to Level 5 restrictions.
The fall in the number of Covid-19 cases in recent days is encouraging and gives cause for optimism
“Some €4 billion has now been paid out in PUP in total – demonstrating the Government’s commitment to supporting workers throughout this pandemic,” she said.
“The fall in the number of Covid-19 cases in recent days is encouraging and gives cause for optimism ahead of the upcoming Christmas period.
“Let’s all keep going together. We brought this virus under control before. It is within our gift to do so again.”
Some 100,000 people from the accommodation and food services sector received a payment this week, followed by 55,000 in wholesale and retail and 30,000 from other sectors such as beauty salons and hairdressers.
In the past seven days, the Department of Social Protection said some 3,700 people closed their PUP - 2,319 stating that they were doing so because they were returning to work.
The largest group of people who closed their claims to return to work was in the 25 to 34 age group, followed by those aged 35 to 44.
