The Minister for Finance has strongly encouraged businesses who availed of the Covid-19 wage subsidy schemes, but subsequently had a strong financial year, to consider their positions.
Paschal Donohoe said some companies which had performed well after they received the payments had ultimately decided that the State support was not required by them and returned what they had received to Revenue.
He said 402 employers had repaid the subsidies that they had received in full, to the value of €52m, while 3,331 employers had made partial repayments totalling €54m.
Mr Donohoe made the comments at the Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach while taking questions about the operation of the Employmnent Wages Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) and its precursor, the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS).