The number of people on the Live Register has jumped by over 300,000 according to the latest figures from the CSO.
The figures show that, by the end of March, more than half a million people were depending on some form of jobless benefit.
Dan O'Brien, chief economist at the Institute of International and European Affairs and columnist with Independent Newspapers, says that the past three weeks has seen a bigger increase in these numbers than over three years during the property crash.
He was joined on The Last Word by Conall MacCoille, chief economist at Davy, to discuss whether we could see a quick economic recovery if the coronavirus can be contained in the next few weeks.
Listen to the interview in full by pressing the play button on this page.
