€9.3bn was paid out by the State last year on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment, Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme and Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme.
New preliminary data from Revenue shows that the TWSS cost €2.785bn, the bill for the EWSS was €1.414bn and PUP payments totalled €5.066bn.
The supports were put in place throughout 2020 to help those who had lost their jobs suddenly as a result of Covid-19 restrictions, as well as to support employers and assist them to retain a link with their staff.
Gross pay from employers fell by €5.1bn between 2019 and 2020 to €96.234bn, although this reduction was compensated for by the payments made under the TWSS and PUP schemes.