It paid out over 10.5 billion euro to businesses during the pandemic.
A scheme introduced to help struggling businesses survive the Covid pandemic officially comes to an end today.
The Employment Wage Subsidy scheme has supported almost 52,000 businesses across the country.
It replaced the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme, which ran until September 2020.
The scheme was at a cost to the taxpayer of over 10.5 billion euro.
Today’s jobs figures show that there are 2.5 million people at work - the highest ever.
The recovery in our jobs market has been remarkable & proof that our efforts to support businesses through Covid has worked.#FullEmployment pic.twitter.com/Hlm0EZjwMy— Paschal Donohoe (@Paschald) May 26, 2022
The scheme ended for most businesses on April 30th, but some had remained on it.
Those mainly in the hospitality sector were the last on the receiving end up until now.
Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe says now's the right time for it to finish.
"Because of how our economy has recovered," he said.
"Because of the number of new jobs that we have managed to create since the pandemic."
