State spent €12.4bn on Covid-19 measures in last full year of restrictions

The Department of Health meanwhile saw its expenditure on testing and tracing for Covid increase markedly from €359m to €664m in the second year of the pandemic. Picture: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos

Ireland spent more than €12bn on its response to Covid-19 in the last full year of restrictions, the vast majority of it on welfare payments.

The State incurred expenditure of an estimated €12.4bn in the 12 months up until the end of February 2022, with more than half of it or €7.61bn, ascribed to the Department of Social Protection.