Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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532. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason the spouse, partner, sibling or child of a fishing licence holder in receipt of fish assist is not allowed participate in the rural social scheme on the same basis that similar relations to farm assist recipients can participate in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19529/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, the objective of the rural social scheme (RSS) is to provide income support for low income farmers and fishermen /women who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments to work part-time while providing certain services of benefit to rural communities.

The issue raised by the Deputy is currently being examined by my officials. The work carried out under the scheme helps to support community services and rural facilities. RSS is also an important source of extra income to farmers and fishermen/women who may be working in agriculture or fishing on a part-time basis and finding it difficult to maintain a sufficient income. Participants work 19.5 hours a week on a local rural or community project in a return for a top-up on their social welfare payments.

Eligibility for the scheme is limited to those who are actively engaged in farming or fishing, in receipt of farm or fish assist and over 25 years of age. Unlike farming where the spouse of a farmer can be actively farming, the spouse, partner, sibling or child of a fishing licence holder cannot be actively engaged in fishing without holding a fishing licence. For fishermen/women to be considered for RSS, the participant must be the holder of a fishing licence and registered with the Revenue Commissioners as self-employed.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.