712,000 citizens are relying on social welfare payments.
Over 700,000 people are now depending on social welfare payments since the Covid 19 outbreak, the Department of Social Protection has revealed.
And half a million of that number are receiving the special €350 a week Pandemic Unemployment Support.
The government introduced the emergency Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Support payment to help those who've been temporarily laid off as a result of the outbreak here.
New figures from the Department of Social Protection show 507,000 people received the €350 per week payment last Friday, up from 283,000 a week ago.
With 205,000 people on the Live Register getting the normal Jobseekers Benefit, it means 712,000 citizens are relying on social welfare payments.
All payments will be in bank accounts and post offices from tomorrow.
The Department says it's developing its online process to prevent people entering incorrect data to reduce the number of invalid applications its receiving, after getting 46,000 ineligible applications.
