Dáil debates

Thursday, 3 February 2022

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions

Rural Schemes

9:10 am

Photo of Claire KerraneClaire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

3. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of those involved in the rural social scheme with regard to the six-year rule; if she will consider extending recent changes to the community employment scheme to rural social scheme participants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5728/22]

Photo of Claire KerraneClaire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This is to ask the Minister about the six-year rule. It is an issue I have raised previously in respect of the rural social scheme, RSS. A number of welcome changes to community employment were announced before Christmas. They have been extended to the scheme, which is welcome as well. None of them addresses the issue that has been brought up by so many of those on the ground in respect of the six-year rule. That is the specific part of the question I would like answered.

Photo of Joe O'BrienJoe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | 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.

Photo of Claire KerraneClaire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I met with a number of RSS and Tús supervisors and co-ordinators from seven counties on Monday. The first thing I was struck by is that they really do not feel listened to, particularly the Tús staff. I appreciate that this is not in the question this morning but I wanted to convey that message back to the Minister of State. They really feel like the poor relation and very last in everything that is done. They have a number of concerns around referrals. Tús is a one-year scheme and they would really like to see that go to two years. There is a major issue in respect of referrals. Tús has 390 places. In 2021, they were given 173 referrals and of those, 53 were employed by the rural development company at the end. They are sanctioned when they do not fill their places but they do not get the referrals. Each of the representatives from the seven counties raised that with me as a concern. There is an issue with referrals. I want to raise that as well.

Photo of Joe O'BrienJoe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To briefly touch on Tús, there was quite a bit of leeway given during Covid in terms of referrals and the consequences of not filling places. That is easing now. I refer to the operational forum that we are running in respect of CE and Tús where issues can be fed in. It is something that we have heard previously.

I want to give the RSS a little time. It is an extremely important scheme. Its impact is not just the increased income for participants; there is the contribution that they make to the community as well. Last October, I was in Feenagh, County Leitrim, at an event organised by RSS participants. There were 30 men at it who came from a radius of 20 or 30 miles. It was clear from speaking to them that the value of it for them individually was enormous because it was one of their few social outlets outside of the pub, which was not an option during Covid. From that point of view, I am very aware of the value of the scheme and I am interested in protecting and growing it.

Photo of Claire KerraneClaire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Referrals are an issue. I appreciate what was announced just before Christmas was that the Department would look at a significant ramping up of referrals. That is really important. Even if it was relaxed during Covid, it makes no sense to sanction where the participants are just not getting the referrals. They want the referrals. As the Minister of State said, the work done in the communities will not be done otherwise.

There is no doubt about that. The six-year rule has implications. Many schemes are finding that they will lose people next year and the year after. They already cannot fill their places, so I am unsure as to how they will fill them when they lose people. I see no need for the six-year rule. There is no issue of places being blocked for other people, given that the current number of places cannot even be filled. It is not good enough to say that we have to have a six-year rule because we need to ensure schemes are open to other people. There were just 170 referrals for 390 places.

9:20 am

Photo of Joe O'BrienJoe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

We will be reviewing the rural social scheme, RSS, this year and the six-year rule will be in the mix.

Regarding Tús, my understanding is that the majority of places have been filled and it has been going well. Compared with community employment, CE, schemes, the rate at which places are being filled has been quicker.

On Monday, I met RSS participants in Meath - perhaps it was some of the same people - who spoke highly of the scheme. One lady in particular who used to be an RSS participant is now managing the Slane community and tourism hub and spoke highly of the scheme. The RSS co-ordinator in the area spoke about its importance. Meath does not have the most participants. As the Deputy knows, that falls to the west, but those I met made points about the RSS and were aware of the review. I encouraged them to feed into the process. If the Deputy could encourage other RSS participants and supervisors whom she is in touch with to do likewise, I would appreciate it.