Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 278: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the criteria required for rural social schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3066/05]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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To be eligible to participate in the rural social scheme a person must be in receipt of farm assist or have been allocated a valid herd or flock number from the Department of Agriculture and Food, and be in receipt of unemployment assistance, unemployment benefit, if previously on community enterprise or disability allowance from the Department of Social and Family Affairs.

A person is also eligible to participate on the rural social scheme if a self-employed fisherman whose fishing boat has been entered in the register of fishing boats or issued with a fishing licence for fishing for salmon at sea, from the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, and be in receipt of one of the aforementioned payments from the Department of Social and Family Affairs. In the first year of operation, up to the 16 May 2005, participants currently on a FÁS community employment scheme, who meet the criteria for the rural social scheme, are eligible to apply to transfer over to the scheme.