Written answers

Thursday, 26 January 2006

Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

Rural Social Schemes

5:00 pm

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 101: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo was employed on a rural social scheme and then told that she did not qualify to join the scheme; the further reason this person is not eligible for the scheme in view of the fact that she is in receipt of unemployment benefit and has a herd number; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2563/06]

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The conditions of eligibility which need to fulfilled in order to participate in the RSS are as follows. Applicants 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 either unemployment assistance or unemployment benefit, if previously on CE disability allowance, from the Department of Social and Family Affairs.

Alternatively, applicants will be self-employed fisherpersons on a fishing boat which has been entered in the register of fishing boats, or have been issued with a fishing licence for fishing for salmon at sea from the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, and in receipt of one of unemployment assistance, unemployment benefit, if previously on CE, or disability allowance from the Department of Social and Family Affairs.

The person in question, prior to commencement on this scheme, was signing for credited social insurance contributions, or credits, with the Department of Social and Family Affairs. Credited contributions are notional social insurance contributions, which are awarded to an insured person without a pay related social insurance, PRSI, payment being received.

My Department has established, following legal advice, that a person signing for credits has no underlying entitlement to participate in the scheme. The person concerned spent one year on the scheme but following the legal clarification was informed that she could not continue to participate for a further period on the basis of credited social insurance contributions. To be eligible going forward a person must meet the criteria set out above.

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