James Cox
The number of Pandemic Unemployment Payment recipients remains at its highest level since June.
Over 481,000 people will receive the PUP tomorrow, a rise of 0.35 per cent on last week.
The payments will cost the State over €144 million.
An additional 368 construction workers made claims for the PUP over the past week, the highest of any sector.
In the same time, around 8,200 people closed their claim to return to work.
7,149 people are now in receipt of the Covid-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit, which is around 370 fewer than last week.
Construction sites
In better news, many construction works could soon be back to work as Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien said construction sites could reopen on March 5th.
Mr O'Brien said the closure of sites means the delay of the delivery of between 700 and 800 homes every month, and he wants sites open again as soon as it is safe to do so.
“We are working towards March 5th, in terms opening up of the construction site sector, as it can be done safely. The provision of homes and housing is crucially important, essential, in my view."
Construction sites had shown they were able to operate safely, and he said he was confident they could reopen safely in March.
“We want the sector to open as quickly and as safely as possible,” he said.
