Exchequer deficit soars to €7.5bn in April as Covid-19 pandemic costs mount

The huge costs of the 1.1 million people who are in receipt of some sort of Government welfare payment in April -- the first full month of the Covid-19 emergency -- has sent the exchequer deficit soaring to almost €7.5bn.

Amid the crisis, the Department of Health and the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection between them spent around €1.7bn more in April than anticipated -- reflecting only part of the total costs in the one month for the Government in fighting the virus and mitigating the economic fallout from the pandemic.