The number of Pandemic Unemployment Payment recipients has dropped for the first time since level 5 measures were introduced in late December.
Just under 478,000 people will receive the PUP tomorrow, which marks a drop of over 3,600 on last week's figures.
All sectors, except the Electrical/Gas/Water supply sector, have fewer people receiving the PUP this week than last week.
Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys says the drop in recipients is "a positive development and shows that the rate of applications for the PUP has levelled off."
“The majority of counties have fewer people on PUP this week than last week and the majority of sectors have also seen a drop in their numbers compared with last week."
Over the past seven days, over 10,200 people closed their claim and said they were going back to work.
2,167 of them were construction workers, while 1,785 of them were returning to work in the wholesale and retail trade.
This week's payments will cost the state 143 million euro.
