DUBLIN (IRELAND) – The unemployment rate in Ireland dipped to 20.4% in December. This included those receiving temporary COVID-19 jobless benefit, when public health restrictions were relaxed for several weeks from 21% the previous month, data showed on Wednesday.
Excluding those on the emergency Pandemic Unemployment Payment, 7.2% of the workforce were registered as unemployed in December, down from a revised 7.3% the previous month, the Central Statistics Office said.
Strict COVID-19 restrictions, including the closure of restaurants and a ban on home visits, were implemented in November and following a surge in infections the rules were reimposed in late December until at least the end of January .