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5,200 less people will get the...

COVID-19 News

5,200 less people will get the pandemic unemployment payment tomorrow

Jonathan Duane
Jonathan Duane

12:54 25 May 2020


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The number has fallen as the country gradually reopens.

5,200 fewer people will receive the pandemic unemployment payment tomorrow.

Meanwhile, 33,400 people will get the payment for the last time as they are returning to work.

In total, the Department of Social Protection will pay just under 580,000 people tomorrow, at a cost of over €200 million. Minister Regina Doherty says the indications are the numbers receiving the pandemic unemployment payment will now fall as the country gradually reopens.

She also says that as we gradually move through the phases of reopening our society, we need to now review the nature of the payment.

The main sectors in which people are returning to work are construction with 12,700 workers back. In wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, 5,500 have returned to work and 3,700 have returned to their jobs in the manufacturing sector.

Elsewhere, it's emerged that Irish households could spend up to 20% less this year because of Coronavirus restrictions. The research conducted by the Economic and Social Research Institute also says the restrictions have delivered an extraordinary shock to the economy.

The drop in household spending would result in VAT receipts being down by between €3.9 and €6.7 billion this year.


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