John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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536. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year additional cost of an additional 500 rural social scheme places, net of qualifying social welfare payments. [19579/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The rural social scheme (RSS) provides work opportunities for farmers and fishermen and women who are currently in receipt of specified social welfare payments to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. RSS provides benefits to communities through the skills and talents of local farmers and fishermen. Participants have the opportunity to improve existing skills, or develop new skills, while performing valuable work in their local communities.

Assuming that the existing participants supported by the RSS remain at the current payment rate, the estimated full year additional cost of an additional 500 rural social scheme places, net of qualifying social welfare payments is €3.8m.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.