Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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276. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of allowing farm assist recipients access to participate in the rural social scheme; if the matter has been considered by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47299/21]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) provides supplementary income support for low income farmers and fishermen and women, who are underemployed in their primary occupation and have an entitlement to   Farm Assist and other specified means-tested social welfare payments.  

As of the end of September 2021 there are 3,006 participants availing of RSS.  The total number of places available on RSS is 3,350,  which means that there are 344 places available at present. These places are currently available to persons in receipt of the Farm Assist payment.

To participate on RSS, a person must be aged 25 or over, in receipt of Farm/Fish Assist or another qualifying social welfare payment and meet the criteria for either a self-employed farmer or a fisherman.  Participation on RSS is by self-selection with applications made directly to one of the 36 local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta  delivering the RSS scheme at a local level.

The estimated additional cost for a person in receipt of Farm Assist to participate on the RSS is approximately €5,150 in a full year,  based on an estimated cost of €16,500 per annum per participant on RSS and an estimated cost of €11,350 per annum per participant on Farm Assist.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.