Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

The rural social scheme was mentioned in the 2004 budget. The focus of this scheme, which will consist of approximately 2,500 places, is to provide ongoing income and employment support to small farmers who can no longer make a viable living on the land. At the same time, the scheme will ensure the provision, at a reasonable cost to the Exchequer, of sustainable, top class services in rural areas. This is a major initiative by the Government, in which the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs has been very much involved. In his Department, since he brought in initiatives such as CLÁR——