16 March 2020 – Established an unemployment payment for people who lose their jobs because of COVID-19

Level of Jurisdiction: National

Overview: The Irish Government established an unemployment payment for people who lose their jobs because of COVID-19, called the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment.

The payment is paid at a flat rate of €350 per week. It was originally set at a rate of €203 but it was increased to €350 on 24 March. A person is eligible for the payment if they are aged between 18 and 66 years old and lost their job due to the COVID-19 pandemic or are self-employed and have ceased trading due to the pandemic.

The payment is also available to employees who have been temporarily laid off, asked to stay at home, or are not getting any money from their employer.

The scheme was initially partly delivered by employers, with a refund from the government.
Full details here: https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/965011-covid-19-introduction-of-simplified-unemployment-payments-for-employ/