Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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328. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if there are proposals to increase the number of places on the rural social schem on a national basis, and if so the degree to which we can hope to see the schemes increased; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22206/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The purpose of the rural social scheme is to provide income support for farmers and those engaged in fishing who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments. Participants are engaged for 19½ hours per week to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. The scheme currently provides work opportunities for around 2,600 participants and 130 supervisory staff. The funds allocated for 2013 amount to €45m, which should enable the scheme to continue as in previous years but does not allow for the recruitment of additional participants above the numbers stated above.

The Department of Social Protection has recently published a review of employment support schemes which, together with the outcome of the focused policy assessment of the RSS which the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has indicated it intends to publish this year, will inform future policy developments of the scheme.

I have no plans to increase the number of places available on this scheme.