More people are claiming unemployment benefits than at the height of the crash.
Over half a million people in Ireland were receiving a form social welfare income support by the end of March, according to the latest Live Register figures from the Central Statistics Office.
The figures state that 283,037 people were receiving the emergency Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment of €350 a week.
That's on top of the adjusted Live Register total of 207,200 - which was up 24,400 on the February 2020 figure.
In addition, 25,104 people were benefiting from the Temporary Covid-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme.
All this means more people are now claiming unemployment benefits than at the height of the crash.
Dermot O'Leary from Goodbody Stockbrokers labelled the figures 'unprecedented'.
''It is dark, it's never been seen before in the history of the sate'', he said.
''And unfortunately it's being replicated elsewhere around the world''.
Temporary measure.
The CSO added that it sees the Covid-19 payments as a temporary measure.
It expects those receiving it to be returned to their jobs after 12 weeks, or that they may be considered for other benefits.
"As it would not be statistically beneficial or valid to break the current Live Register series to try and capture these temporary measures, it has been decided to compile the March 2020 data in the traditional way and provide separate details of COVID-19 payments," it said.
