Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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313. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if the terms and conditions of new rural social scheme participants under the expanded scheme will be the same as on the existing scheme; if it is intended to pay the full rate rural social scheme payment to all participants as pertained up to the period of the last Government; if it is intended to introduce a cap on the years a participant can partake in the scheme; if so the reason for this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36899/16]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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338. To ask the Minister for Social Protection his plans to change the eligibility criteria for the rural social scheme, including the length of time a person is allowed to be on the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37440/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 313 and 338 together.

The RSS provides opportunities for farmers and fishermen and women who are currently in receipt of specified social welfare payments to work to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. Deputies on all sides of the House are fully aware of the positive benefits derived from schemes like the Rural Social Scheme. While communities benefit from the skills and talents of local farmers and fishermen, participants also have the opportunity to improve existing skills, or develop new skills, while performing valuable work in their local communities. Community groups have benefitted from the many projects undertaken through the scheme with minimal cost to the Exchequer. The scheme has also played an important role in sustaining rural communities.

As part of the social welfare budget package for 2017, I announced an increase of €5 a week in the personal rate of payment for rural social scheme (RSS) participants from March 2017. I also announced an additional 500 places on the scheme to be rolled out in 2017. This will increase the overall number of places to 3,100. My Department intends allocating these places as early as possible in 2017, taking into account a number of factors. These include the number of places already allocated, the demand for places in particular areas, work opportunities available and the numbers of farmers and fishermen and women in receipt of income support.

Eligibility for participation on the scheme will continue to remain limited to those in receipt of certain specified social welfare payments and all participants must be also actively engaged in farming or fishing. In future, all new entrants to the RSS will have to be over 25 years of age and, in addition, a 6 year overall participation limit will be introduced on the scheme. This will ensure that there will be a throughput of places available and that younger people will have an opportunity to explore other training or education options before a long term work programme. Almost 50% of the current participants have been on the RSS for over 10 years.

It is proposed to allow the existing cohort of RSS participants to remain on the scheme as long as they continue to satisfy the eligibility conditions of the scheme and the new conditions outlined above will only apply to new RSS entrants.

The rate of RSS payment is currently linked to the participant’s primary social protection payment with a minimum weekly rate of €210.50 increasing to €215.50 from March 2017. Participants may receive extra allowances in respect of qualified adult dependent and qualified child dependents. It is proposed to continue to pay RSS participants in this manner.