The number of recipients of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) has fallen 6,900 over the last week.
It means 221,000 people will receive a PUP payment this week, totaling €65.4m.
The latest data comes ahead of the final day that new registrations for the payment will be allowed.
The scheme was due to close to new entrants last week, but the Government extended that by a further seven days until tomorrow following its decision to delay the reopening of indoor dining to concerns about the Covid-19 Delta variant.
Despite that decision, the largest reduction in claimants this week occurred in the Accommodation and Food Services sector.
However, this sector still remains the one with the highest overall number of recipients at 54,518.
"Today's figures show that despite the decision to defer the re-opening of indoor hospitality, the number of people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment has fallen again this week," said Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys.
"On top of the decrease in numbers, a further 8,000 people closed their PUP claims in the past seven days. This will be reflected in next week’s figures."
Separately, the Department of Social Protection has begun a process of contacting PUP recipients to ask them to confirm their ongoing entitlement.
Recipients must confirm they continue to qualify for payments by Tuesday July 20 by logging into the MyWelfare website and following instructions.
The largest decrease in PUP claimants came from the under 25 age group, where 50,437 people will receive a payment this week, down 1,794 on the previous week.
After Accommodation and Food Services, the sector with the next largest group of recipients is Wholesale and Retail Trade with 33,610 people in receipt of the PUP.
Dublin is the county with the highest number of people who are receiving PUP this week at 80,789
A further 175,281 people remained on the Live Register at the end of last month.
