DAVY VIEW

The decline in Ireland’s unemployment rate to 6.4% in September points to further gradual improvement in the labour market. This is also evident in the fall in Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) claims to 101,500 in early October from 143,600 at end-August. However, 291,000 workers’ pay in September, 12% of total employment, was still being subsidised by the employment wage subsidy scheme (EWSS).