Almost 40% of Donegal’s labour force is now receiving Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
The number of people in the county on the emergency payment rose by another 200 this week to a total of 22,700.
The €350 payments are being issued by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection today.
Payments valued at €209.3m have been issued to 598,000 people nationwide, with 11,000 people receiving the €350 payment for the first time this week. There are now 56,200 women and 341,800 men on the scheme.
There are now over 52,000 employers who have registered with the Revenue Commissioners for the Temporary Covid-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme. The payments are in addition to the approximate 205,000 people who were on the Live Register as of the end of March.
There are now 39,100 people medically certified for receipt of the Covid-19 enhanced Illness Benefit. This predominantly relates to applications in respect of people who have been advised by their GP to self-isolate together with a smaller number in respect of people who have been diagnosed with Covid-19.
Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty today that the retail and hospitality sectors have been worst affected by lay-offs and furloughs.
Minister Doherty said: “Working with the new Labour Market Advisory Council I recently appointed, my officials are now planning the necessary further supports and initiatives we will need to put in place to ensure that the thousands of workers who have been displaced can return to work as quickly as possible. We are determined that this short term health crisis will not be a long-term economic one for all those workers and families who have been affected.”