Firms signed up to Irish wage subsidy scheme hits 50,000 - minister

DUBLIN, April 3 (Reuters) - Some 50,000 companies have signed up for Ireland's coronavirus wage subsidy scheme in its first week in operation, acting Employment Affairs Minister Regina Doherty said on Friday.

The state has pledged to pay 70% of wages for workers in struggling firms for the next 12 weeks, up to a weekly maximum of 410 euros per week. Data showed on Thursday that 25,000 workers claimed the subsidy by the end of March.

"We're so grateful for the amount of companies who have signed up. We're now at 50,000 companies in Ireland but we know there are 250,000 companies in Ireland so maybe there's a long way to go," Doherty told national broadcaster RTE. (Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Alison Williams)