Almost 4 in 10 people getting the Covid-19 unemployment payment were earning less than 300 euro a week before the outbreak.
Just under 600 thousand people are claiming the payment.
A report by the Department of Business – seen by the Irish Times – shows that 38 per cent of those in receipt of the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment payment were earning less than 300 euro per week before they lost their jobs as a result of the virus.
The payment is worth 350 euro per week.
This means around 200 thousand people are better of unemployed than they are working.
Many of these were working part-time in the hospitality industry.
The sustainability of the payment is a concern for Government, however it’s been accepted by the Taoiseach and Minister for Finance that it will need to be extended beyond its initial June expiry date.
