Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My question relates to legislation, the programme for Government and the action plan for rural Ireland. It is fair to say that most people in rural Ireland accept that the rural social scheme has been an outstanding success in meeting two requirements - to ensure an adequate income for small farmers and stability, in particular for families dealing with social isolation, and to provide basic services in a cost-effective way that are normally provided by paid employees in towns and cities.

When will the next social welfare Bill be introduced so that we can cement the rural social scheme into law? In view of the commitments to rural Ireland in the programme for Government, how can the Minister for Social Protection cut the basis for the scheme by saying that people can only remain on it for three years? What are they meant to do afterwards? How can he take such a retrograde step at the same time that the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs is telling us that she is developing an action plan for rural Ireland?

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