The Minister for Social Protection has said the scale of the COVID-19 challenge is “now very clear,” with more than a million people dependent on State support.

The Department of Social Protection today issued Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payments worth €207m to 591,000 people around the country.

Some 21,000 people received the payment of the first time.

Meanwhile, there are now over 49,000 employers taking advantage of the Temporary Covid-19 Wage Subsidy scheme.

Around 205,000 are receiving standard social welfare.

Challenge

In a statement, the Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty said the scale of the challenge facing the country is “now very clear.”

“The smaller increase in the numbers on the COVID-19 payment this week as compared with previous weeks would suggest that we have come through the worst of temporary job lay-offs,” she said.

“That said, with over a million people in the country now dependent on some level of State-provided income support, the scale of the challenge that this health emergency has posed for our national economy and to so many households is now very clear.”

Issues

The Department as now processed 691,000 Pandemic Unemployment Payment applications, with officials carry out seven checks on applications.

Meanwhile, 64,000 people have closed their application.

Officials are working to resolve issues with invalid IBANs or PPSNs on legitimate application and is contacting people directly.

Payments made today will be people’s bank accounts or at their local post office tomorrow.