Seanad debates
Wednesday, 16 December 2015
Commencement Matters
Rural Social Scheme Administration
10:30 am
Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Tá na saoistí ar na scéimeanna sóisialta tuaithe ag obair an-mhaith ar fud na tíre. Dar leo, tá easpa cothromaíochta idir na coinníollacha oibre ata acu féin agus na coinníollacha atá ag saoistí ar na scéimeanna eile.
I am sure the Minister of State will be well aware of the considerable work that is done on the rural social schemes throughout the country. It is a very important scheme that has provided significant supports in local rural communities for those on meagre enough incomes and subsistence to try to keep people in their communities. There have been a lot of questions in the past year or so on the pay and conditions of the supervisors on these schemes that fall within the remit of the Department of Social Protection. Senator Higgins organised a good presentation from the supervisors of the rural social schemes where they highlighted quite a number of these issues.
Much of the work done on roads, piers, graveyards, community halls and across the community is done in conjunction with some of the other schemes, such as Tús and the community employment schemes, particularly in recent times when there was bad weather. It is felt that a lot of the work being done is on a par with the work being done under those other schemes but that the working conditions of the supervisors are not comparable. This has been subject to an application to the Workplace Relations Commission to try to have these issues resolved. What dumbfounds me is how the Department of Social Protection, with two Labour Party Ministers, has not even engaged with the Workplace Relations Commission to try to resolve these issues. That is unacceptable.
I asked a number of months ago and the Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection, Deputy Kevin Humphreys, came to the House to address this issue. I do not see that there has been any real progress made on it.It is important that we try to resolve this issue before year's end, if possible. The schemes' supervisors deserve parity of esteem with other supervisors doing similar work. It is incumbent on the Department of Social Protection to treat them fairly. They do not feel as if they are being treated. The Labour Minister and Minister of State in the Department should uphold workers' rights, respect the wishes of the unions that are involved, treat this as a matter of urgency and try to resolve it before the Christmas break. It has gone on for too long. I hope that the Minister of State will, on behalf of his ministerial colleagues in the Department, have some light at the end of the tunnel for us.
Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I am taking this Commencement Matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Kevin Humphreys.
Senators will be aware of the many communities in rural areas that benefit from the services supported by the rural social scheme, RSS, and the positive impact that the scheme has had on the livelihoods of farming families and the social fabric of communities along the western seaboard.
The Department of Social Protection operates a number of programmes and initiatives in support of jobseekers and those in receipt of long-term social protection payments. Senators will be familiar with initiatives such as Tús, the community work placement initiative, RSS, Gateway and the community employment programme. These are funded by the Department and delivered and administered at community level by local development companies, Údarás na Gaeltachta, county and city councils and local not-for-profit sponsor groups.
The primary objective of these interventions is to offer those in receipt of social protection payments the opportunity to engage in work-related training, work experience and-or income support. The rural social scheme, to which the Senator referred, provides income support to those involved in the farming and fishery sectors where the level of income from their primary economic activities is insufficient to provide an adequate income. The scheme is delivered by 35 local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta. These companies are funded to employ 130 supervisor staff in full-time positions to support the delivery of the scheme. Each company is individually responsible for setting the terms and conditions of employment. The Department of Social Protection has no role in such matters, but requires that each company meet at least the minimum requirements of employment contracts set out by the various employment statutes. The Department also meets the cost of employment and related operational costs for these supervisors through the provision of funding and fees to the companies.
The Senator referred to disparities in the terms of employment of supervisors on RSS and supervisors on similar job activation schemes that the Department funds. The only scheme that could be considered comparable to RSS is Tús, the community work placement initiative. Tús is delivered by the same local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta. That initiative has many similarities to RSS in terms of the structure of delivery, funding and fees paid to the companies, placement of workers with community organisations and undertaking work in support of community initiatives. I understand that, when considered broadly, the terms and conditions of employment are similar across both programmes within individual companies and the rate of payment on each is similar.
The terms applying to other programmes such as community employment and Gateway differ significantly and reflect a number of other factors. For instance, the Department of Social Protection provides funding to sponsor organisations under the community employment programme to support the management of each organisation's services and provide dedicated training and activation services to participants. Managers of community employment sponsor organisations have responsibility relating to the management of the community employment payroll, training grant, associated service provision and the organisation itself. Many of the elements of work outlined in respect of community employment do not arise in the case of RSS or Tús. The Department does not fund the provision of supervision on Gateway, as that is a matter for each county and city council.
I know at first hand the benefits that have been achieved for individuals and communities that have participated in these schemes or have had services supported. I am also aware that the work of supervisors and participants is greatly valued. Their work has played a critical role in the maintenance of services during the past few difficult years. The House should note that, despite difficult funding conditions, the budget for RSS has been protected each year since 2011, with participant levels holding constant at 2,600 and full-time work being maintained for 130 supervisory staff. This underlines the Government's commitment to the scheme and rural communities.
Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister of State for his response, but it was splitting hairs. The communities on the ground do not see a major difference between the schemes. The Department and various agencies do not see a difference when they ask people to work with the other organisations that have been mentioned.
According to the Minister of State, he is "aware that the work of supervisors and participants is greatly valued". If so, would he mind asking his relevant ministerial colleagues why they have not engaged with the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, on the issues that have been raised by the supervisors? One would assume that, if they were so valued, the Department would at least sit down at the WRC. If everything in the Department's response is correct, surely the WRC would find in its favour and it should have no fear in that regard. At least the supervisors would have closure on these issues. Will the Minister of State convey to his colleagues that they should engage with the WRC as a matter of urgency to bring that closure?
Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I will do that for the Senator.