Second lockdown set to cost State €1.2bn in welfare payments

Galway Bay fm newsroom - The second lockdown is going to cost the state around 1.2 billion euro in increased social welfare payments alone.

There's been a restoration of the higher, 350 euro a week rate of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment for those who earned more than 400 a week before losing their jobs.

As Ireland prepares to enter Level 5, Galway has recorded 60 new cases of COVID 19.

In the latest round of figures from health officials last evening, 1,031 new cases were notified nationally.

Galway had the third highest number of cases last night with Dublin recording the most at 235 followed by Cork with 232.

The city and county now has 1542 confirmed cases to date.