Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The RSS is an income support scheme providing part-time employment opportunities for farmers and fishers who are in receipt of specified social welfare payments and who are underemployed in their primary occupation. The scheme offers participants the opportunity to gain valuable work experience and provides valuable services to local rural communities.

To qualify for RSS, a person must be actively farming or fishing and must satisfy the means test assessment required to qualify for the farm assist payment. During 2017 and 2018, the number of places funded under the scheme was increased by 750, bringing the total number of places available to 3,350. A six-year time limit was also introduced for new RSS participants with effect from February 2017. The limit was introduced to ensure that places would be available for newer cohorts of eligible persons and aligns the scheme with other employment support programmes, including community employment, CE. The six-year limit only applies to new entrants to RSS from February 2017.

Prior to the introduction of the six-year time limit, an RSS participant could remain on the scheme for a significant part of their working life. This had the effect of limiting turnover of places on RSS thereby reducing the opportunities for potential new entrants. The first group of participants is scheduled to leave RSS on the basis of the six-year rule in February 2023.

On 21 December last, the Minister, Deputy Humphreys and myself were pleased to announce a number of changes to RSS and the CE scheme. These changes included the expansion of the service support stream on CE with the qualifying age being reduced from 62 to 60. This rule change was also extended to RSS so that all participants who reach 60 years of age can also remain on the scheme until they reach State pension age. This rule change means that the six-year rule no longer applies to RSS participants over the age of 60. This change will immediately benefit 390 RSS participants who may spend additional time on the scheme after 2023 and will continue to provide services to local communities.

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