Government considering restoring PUP to previous amount, minister says

Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne said the restoration of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) was "a key issue that's under consideration this weekend by the government." Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

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

More than 100,000 more people are expected to lose their jobs when the country moves to a mix of level four and level 5, with the closure of non-essential retail expected to be announced later on today.