Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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92. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason the rural social scheme has a reduced allocation for 2021; the effect this will have on the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34068/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The 2021 Budget Estimate for the Rural Social Scheme is €52.2m. While this represents a reduction of €1.9m on the 2020 Revised Estimate, it is in line with the 2020 emerging outturn which is now estimated to be of the order of €52.3m.

The Rural Social Scheme is paid on a Thursday and there are 53 Thursdays in 2020. As there will be 52 Thursdays in 2021, this will result in expenditure in 2021 being some €0.85m lower than that in 2020.

In 2020, the scheme is expected to have an average of 3,160 participants. The 2021 estimate is providing for a similar number of participants in 2021, having regard to the expected demand for the scheme.