DUBLIN, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The number of people claiming
temporary Irish COVID-19-related jobless benefits rose for the
first time since May, weekly data showed on Monday, reflecting
the three-week closure of indoor dining in pubs and restaurants
in Dublin.
While claims have more than halved since hitting a lockdown
peak of 600,000 in early May, the rate of decline had slowed in
recent weeks and the numbers rose to 217,142 from 206,341 in the
last seven days.
Over 19,000 people applied for the Pandemic Unemployment
Payment after a reimposition of restrictions in the capital and
most populous county. However another 8,690 closed their claim
after pubs that just serve drinks were permitted to open for the
first time since March in all counties but Dublin last week.
(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; editing by Jonathan Oatis)