Government supports to households, in the form of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) and the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) were down €2.2bn in the first quarter of this year, compared to the same time last year.
New figures from the Central Statistics Office also show that household saving were down €3.7bn compared to the first three months of last year.
The household saving rate was 19.9%.
Although the amount saved is high, the figures show that the saving rate is declining, and this is the first time it has been below 20% since the start of 2020.
The figures also show that household consumption was up €5bn.
However, the CSO said this increase was due to inflation rather than people consuming more goods and services.
The Consumer Price Index shows prices were 5.8% higher in the quarter compared with the first quarter of 2021.
The data shows that household income from employment and self-employment was up €5.5bn.
The growth in pay to workers was spread across most sectors of the economy.
The largest increases were in public administration, education and health, and professional, administration & support activities.
Distribution, transport, hotels and restaurants, also showed significant additions to the pay bill.
Higher take-home pay meant higher taxes and PRSI paid by households.
Meanwhile, the government surplus was €282m in the first quarter of 2022.
This compares to a deficit of €6,382m in the first quarter of last year.
The CSO said the improved position was due to both higher revenues and lower expenditure.
Overall, the economy as a whole grew in the first quarter of 2022, driven by non-financial corporations' higher gross value added.
GDP was €117bn, 16% higher than in the first quarter of last year.
