Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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115. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will substantially increase the numbers participating on the rural social scheme due to the invaluable service they provide to community groups, to deliver essential social services in rural areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41707/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The rural social scheme (RSS) provides 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 2014 amount to €45 million. This level of funding will allow the scheme to continue along the same lines in 2014 as in previous years but does not allow for recruitment above the numbers stated above.

The resources available to the Department for 2015 will not allow for the expansion of the RSS in the manner suggested. The Deputy will be aware that the Department, under a number of its programmes and schemes, supports the development and delivery of a broad range of services to the benefit of communities, rural and urban. In addition to the RSS, some 25,000 placements are provided under community employment, 8,000 through Tús, 1,100 via the job initiative with an additional 3,000 placements becoming available with county and city councils under Gateway. Additionally around 2,700 persons are supported in employment with the Community Services Programme (CSP), the majority of which are rural based.