Irish COVID-19 jobless claims rise at slowest pace since Level 5 lockdown

The number of people in Ireland claiming temporary coronavirus-related jobless benefits rose at the slowest pace since a move to the highest level of COVID-19 restrictions three weeks ago, increasing by 4% to 342,505, data showed on Monday.

The limiting of restaurants to takeaway and closing of non-essential retail until Dec. 1 has forced almost 100,000 more people to sign up for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), fewer so far than the 150,000 estimated by government when it introduced the new curbs.

Some 100,000 people from the accommodation and food services sector received a PUP payment this week, followed by 55,000 in wholesale and retail and 30,000 from other sectors such as beauty salons and hairdressers. Ireland's unemployment rate, including PUP recipients, rose to 20.2% at the end of October.