Over 160 people across in Cavan and Monaghan lost their jobs over Christmas due to the Omicron wave.
Pandemic Unemployment Payments levels had continued to drop over the last 6 months with just 2,500 people receiving the support in the region at the start of last month.
However, as the Omicron variant of Covid-19 spread across the country and new pandemic restrictions were brought in, many businesses shut or laid off staff.
This has resulted in the number of people successfully applying for the payment growing for the first time in many months.
In Cavan, there were 92 more recipients this month compared to December, while in Monaghan it rose by 71.
1,601 people are in receipt of the payment locally, with 16.6 million euro being paid to over 67,000 people across the country this week.
