Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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450. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the extent to which she remains satisfied regarding the adequacy of the budget for her Department to meet increased demand arising from Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5825/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Social Protection's revised estimate for 2021 was published in December 2020.  These estimates provided for an expenditure allocation of €25.1 billion in 2021.

Level 5 restrictions were reintroduced from late December 2020. These restrictions were recently extended until 5th March 2021.  Given the ongoing volatility of the labour market caused by the pandemic, it is difficult to predict the precise impact that these restrictions, and their eventual easing, will have on the Department's Covid-related expenditure.

My Department will continue to monitor expenditure throughout 2021.