Significantly more people rely on wage subsidy scheme than the PUP, new figures show   

Ireland's emergency welfare schemes track Covid recovery as employees return to work 

'As we go into August, I anticipate further falls in the overall numbers — partly due to the expected reopening of indoor hospitality,' said Heather Humphreys, the social protection minister. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/Photocall

There are now significantly more people relying on the wage subsidy scheme than the pandemic unemployment payment or the regular unemployment payment, new figures show. 

The Department of Social Protection said there were 202,000 people needing the PUP this week — down by almost 9,700 from last week — as more food and accommodation workers return to work ahead of the planned full reopening of indoor dining next week.