Lorraine Higgins (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I call for a debate on the Tús and rural social schemes. There are moves afoot to amalgamate the schemes which, I respectfully suggest, are incompatible. The rural social scheme is for small farmers and helps to supplement the incomes of a few thousand, whereas the Tús scheme is a job activation measure. To corroborate my assertion, I have been advised that at least one community development company is advertising posts of rural social schemes and Tús supervisors, although they are separate schemes. Given the precedent set and that matters are predetermined, the rural social scheme has played an important role in supporting low-income farmers in the past decade. It offers unlimited social benefits to those participating in the scheme in that it assists in alleviating isolation in rural Ireland, promoting positive mental health and does untold work in supporting a broad range of social care services, community and voluntary groups. We should do nothing that might place it in jeopardy. I have been a long-time believer that we need a separate strategy for rural Ireland when it comes to Government policy. It could be akin to the islands strategies pursued during the years. I do not want to see another case of east versus west because the numbers participating in rural social schemes are proportionately smaller in the eastern part of Ireland than in the ten counties along the western seaboard.