There are 17,500 people in Kerry availing of COVID-19 welfare payments this week.
According to details released by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, a further 700 employees in the county have stopped their Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
The Pandemic Unemployment Payment, paid at a rate of €350 a week, is for employees and the self-employed who are fully out of work due to COVID-19.
This week the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection issued payments valued at €153 million to 439,000 people across the country, a drop of almost 27,000 since last week.
In Kerry, 16,400 people are getting the Pandemic Unemployment Payment this week; that’s down 1,000 on last week.
Among them are 700 people who have informed the Department they’re returning to work and have closed their payment.
The COVID-19 Illness Benefit, also paid at a rate of €350 a week, is for people who have been medically certified to self-isolate or have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
In Kerry, 1,100 people are getting this payment this week, the same as last week.
