The number of people claiming temporary Covid-related jobless benefits fell by 8% to 285,000 this week, its lowest level since December last year, new figures from the Department of Social Protection show today.
Non-essential retail, hotels and outdoor bars and restaurants have reopened in recent weeks following their closure in late December during a spike in Covid-19 infections.
Today's figures show that 285,265 people received the Pandemic Unemployment Payment this week, a decrease of over 24,000 on last week.
The Department of Social Protection this week issued weekly payments valued at over €84m to those in receipt of PUP. The sector which saw the largest decrease in the number of people receiving PUP this week was the Accommodation