Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 476: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of people who are currently employed on the rural social scheme on a county basis; the costs involved; if he will provide details of the estimated scheme participation; and costs for the next twelve month period. [27366/06]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 477: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of applicants who have been refused participation on the rural social scheme in each county since the scheme was introduced; the category of their refusal; the number of people who have been refused an extension of their employment contract on the rural social scheme in each county, in each refusal category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27365/06]

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 483: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 455 of 30 May 2006, if in view of the fact that his Department now pays the full rate of QAA, it will not now pay a full child dependent allowance rate; the cost of implementing such a measure; if he will review the current policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27985/06]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 476, 477 and 483 together.

Currently, there is provision for 2,500 participant places and a further 125 supervisor positions on the Rural Social Scheme RSS). Table 1 sets out the geographical spread of both participants and supervisors currently employed on the Scheme. The total figure (2,496) includes 112 supervisors currently employed on the RSS.

Table 2 provides the geographical spread of applications for the Scheme which have been refused participation, along with the reasons for those refusals. The table also outlines the number of RSS participants who have been refused an extension to their contract under the RSS, along with the reasons involved.

It is anticipated that the 2,500 participant places will be filled in the autumn. An amount of €43.322m has been provided for the RSS this year. While no decisions have yet been made regarding funding for the Scheme, or the number of places that will be available, in 2007, I can assure the Deputies that I will be keeping this matter under close review over the coming months.

In accordance with the Social Welfare code, one of the qualifying conditions for entitlement to the full rate child dependant increase is that there must also be an entitlement to an increase for a qualified adult dependent. Therefore, any RSS participant currently entitled to, and receiving, an increase for an adult dependent is also receiving the full rate child dependent increase. If no QAA is paid only the half rate child dependent allowance is payable as previously.