Irish pandemic jobless money recipients grow as lockdown bites

The number of people in Ireland claiming temporary coronavirus-related jobless benefits has jumped sharply as infection levels exceed those seen than during the first wave in April and May. Some 335,600 people will receive the Pandemic Unemployment Payment this week, data showed on Tuesday. The number receiving the payment in the week before Christmas was 277,700.

The Irish government said on Dec. 30 it would maintain the payment at the current rate at least until the end of March after announcing the closure of non-essential retail to help curb a surge in infections.