Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

98. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of restoring the rural social scheme to 3,000, 3,500, 4,000, 4,500, 5,000, 5,500, 6,000, 6,500 and 7,000 places, respectively. [46302/15]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The rural social scheme (RSS) provides income support for farmers and fishermen who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments. One of the key criteria for participation and continued eligibility for the scheme is that the participant must be underemployed in their primary activity i.e. either farming or fishing, and that their earnings are insufficient to support their family circumstance. The scheme currently provides work opportunities for around 2,600 participants and 130 supervisory staff to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. The funds allocated for the Scheme for 2016 is €44.3m.

Overall, the Deputy should note that funding and the number of available places for the RSS have been maintained by the Government at the same level for the last five years. Therefore, as there has been no reduction in places during that time, any additional places would represent an increase not a restoration.

Assuming that the existing participants supported by the RSS remain at the current payment rate, the estimated cost of an additional 500 places for a full year is €8.5m. This costing consists of wages paid to participants, fuel allowance, supervisory costs, fees to implementing bodies, fees to the payroll provider, provision of materials, insurance and input costs of implementing bodies. Estimates are also dependant on how quickly the additional places are rolled out.

The following table provides an estimate of the costs for the various participant numbers outlined in the Deputy's question.