Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 193: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the income eligibility criteria for the rural social economy scheme and the rates of payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27299/05]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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If applicants are to be deemed eligible to participate in the rural social scheme they must be in receipt of farm assist or have a valid herd or flock number, and they must be in receipt of one of unemployment assistance, unemployment benefit if they were previously on a community employment scheme, or disability allowance. Alternatively, they must be engaged in sea fishing as a self-employed person on a fishing boat entered in the register of fishing boats, or on a fishing boat and in a place in respect of which a licence for fishing for salmon at sea has been issued. In the latter set of circumstances, they must be in receipt of one of unemployment assistance, unemployment benefit if they were previously on a community employment scheme, or disability allowance. Any persons participating in a FÁS community employment scheme who meet the above eligibility criteria have the option to transfer to the rural social scheme. Participants in the scheme are not permitted to undertake any other employment, apart from their primary farming and fishing work, which yields a payment of more that €88.88 per week. The rates of payment under the scheme, effective from 1 January 2005, are set out in the following table: