Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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127. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to approve more places on the rural social scheme to help with coastal rehabilitation works following the recent storms; whether she is willing to provide additional materials-money for the existing schemes along the coast for this work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3518/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Work undertaken by participants on the rural social scheme supports the provision of services of benefit to rural communities. Day-to-day operational responsibility rests with each of the Implementing Bodies contracted by the Department to deliver the scheme. These bodies comprise local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta. In general, participants on the scheme are required to work on a range of service provisions within an overall framework developed and delivered by the Implementing Bodies in response to demand from the communities they serve. This framework takes account of movements in work requirements, new opportunities, completion of existing tasks, emerging pressures and priorities, weather and other matters that impact on the tasks undertaken.

Primary responsibility for determining works in respect of clean-up operations and remedial tasks resulting from recent storm damage rests with county councils. I am confident that Implementing Bodies will respond to providing whatever assistance is determined by county councils and/or other statutory agencies on weather related remedial work. In addition to the RSS, implementing bodies have recourse to additional resources from Tús should such be required to support remedial works. Funding of remedial works is primarily a matter for each county council and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and I have no proposals to divert funds from the RSS for such works.