The number of people receiving the Government’s special Covid-19 unemployment payment has fallen below the 500,000 mark, the Department of Social Protection has said. It said 498,700 people would receive the €350 payment this week, a reduction of 18,900 on the figure for last week. The department said that over the last week 33,000 people had closed their claim for a payment under the pandemic unemployment scheme. Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty said on Monday that the numbers receiving the pandemic unemployment payment were continuing to decline gradually. She said numbers receiving the payment had now dropped below the 500,000 mark.

Source: The Irish Times June 15, 2020 13:06 UTC