The number of people in the agriculture; forestry and fishing; and mining and quarrying sectors claiming the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) fell below 6,000 in the most recent run of payments, with 5,700 individual claims in this grouping of sectors being paid out this week.
This is a decrease on the 6,100 who received the payment last week. Payments were made on Tuesday of this week, June 30, and are continuing to decrease week-on-week as the country gradually returns to work.
This grouping of sectors is in receipt of the second-lowest number of claims. The sectoral grouping (as defined by the former Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection) with less claims at present is electricity; gas supply; and water supply, waste sewerage and waste management grouping, with 1,400 claims.
Since last week, around 25,700 people have closed their claim for the PUP. Some 14,000 people received their final payments this week.
Heather Humphreys, the newly appointed Minister for Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands, commented: “I have been appointed minister [for this department] at the most challenging time in our state’s history – a time that the state is managing emergency payments for so many people and households in every county.
“I welcome the continuing fall in the numbers of people who are depending on the PUP. I look forward to working closely with the officials in my department in making every effort to help people who have lost their jobs get back into employment as quickly as possible,” Minister Humphreys added.
The minister also acknowledged the work of former Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty.