Just over 153,000 people received the Pandemic Unemployment Payment this week, according to figures from the Department of Social Protection.
Around 4,400 PUP recipients closed their claims in the week, with almost half of these working in the accommodation and food sector, the figures show.
The number of people receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment has fallen by almost 70% since February. The Department said the total payment on the PUP this week amounted to €45.4 million. "It is heartening to see more people return to work each week as we continue to move cautiously through our recovery from Covid-19," Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys said. "As the economic recovery continues and new jobs are created, we want to