Galway Bay fm newsroom - An additional 3,300 people have registered for the pandemic unemployment payment in Galway in the last week.
The Department of Social Protection has issued weekly payments to 18,233 people in Galway this week.
This compares to 14,882 payments issued prior to Christmas.
The number of people receiving a PUP payment nationwide this week represents an increase of 57,928 on the 277,671 people paid on Tuesday, 22nd December.
The sector with the highest number of people in receipt of the State payment is accommodation and food services, followed by wholesale and retail trade and other sectors such as hairdressing and beauty salons.