Increased consumption as people turned to alcohol and drugs to cope with isolation

The remaining 45,000 recipients of the pandemic unemployment payment will transfer over to the ordinary jobseeker’s benefit

The Pandemic Unemployment Payment has returned with five rates, with those on €350-€400 receiving €300 and a lower €150 rate for those who had been earning less than €151

Long-term recipients of the PUP will also receive the bonus

The underlying offence of conspiracy to commit money-laundering carries a maximum sentence of 14 years

In a successful career spanning 20 years directing theatre and opera, the Corkman suddenly found himself relying on welfare payments for rent. Although the arts sector is now recovering, he says we must learn lessons in how we regard and pay artists.

A number of checks were carried out in July 2020, March 2021 and July 2021, which resulted in tens of thousands of claims being stopped

A survey of almost 600 employers, including almost 140 hotels, shows a large majority of businesses in the tourism sector are experiencing major recruitment challenges.

A number of legal challenges regarding the stopping of the €350 PUP have been heard in the High Court this year

Strong wage subsidy support suggests many businesses will struggle to maintain employment levels in the absence of the state financial supports

Most appeals relate to the PUP rate of payment or whether the loss of employment was due to Covid-19 restrictions

The government borrowed three-quarters of the €4bn, with the rest coming from the EU

Announcing the Government National Economic Recovery Plan, Micheál Martin said the pandemic had a 'swift and unprecedented' impact, the largest outside the world wars

Number of people on Pandemic Unemployment Payment fell by 13,000 as sectors of the economy started to open this week

Isme calls for "solidarity tax" on Paye workers earning over €100,000 to help pay for new business supports

The man, who is aged 35, was arrested in the Midleton area this morning

Paschal Donohoe said this meant the wage subsidy scheme would not 'simply end' in June when it is due to expire

In May, she travelled to Romania to help care for her elderly father, whose care centre had closed.

Thousands of workers are to be hit with tax bills having received payments on Covid support schemes – but Revenue says this will not be a factor in assessing help-to-buy applications

More than 398,200 people required pandemic unemployment payment this week, including seven out of ten people in accommodation and food service and one in five building workers

The Department says anyone made unemployed from today, and who applies by 5pm on December 31, will be able to receive a PUP payment by January 5

Gardaí suspect there are other cases of gangs defrauding the State of Covid unemployment payments after arresting a key target in Cork.

Twenty-eight individuals were identified as being active participants in the alleged fraud connected to the payment

Enforcement powers for gardaí to make pubs, restaurants, and other licenced premises comply with Covid restrictions are to be extended today until June.

The government is considering restoring the pandemic unemployment payment to its previous amount, according to Thomas Byrne.

'We'll lose a whole sector if we don't plan for the next six months in the budget,' said Labour leader Alan Kelly

Sinn Féin’s finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty has described the increase in wages for TDs as “tone deaf” at a time when the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) was being reduced.

'Now is not the time to be cutting supports,' says Mary Lou McDonald

Eight counties could see increased restrictions imposed as Covid-19 cases rise

New rates of PUP could continue past April, when they are due to be phased out entirely

Some 274,600 people received the payment last week, with an overall weekly payment of €85m, with over €3bn has been paid out overall since the payment began in March.