Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change)
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135. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a representative of the rural social scheme supervisors will be included in the imminent review of the rural social scheme. [24508/22]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is an income support initiative providing part-time employment opportunities for farmers or fishermen/women in receipt of certain social welfare payments, and underemployed in their primary occupation, within their local area in community and voluntary organisations.

The RSS scheme plays an important role in rural communities, with participants having the opportunity to improve existing skills, or develop new skills, whilst performing valuable work in their local communities. At the same time, communities benefit from the skills and talents of local farmers and fishermen, and individual community groups have benefited from the many projects undertaken through the programme.

An operational review of the RSS Programme will take place in 2022.

My officials met with union representatives on the 6th April last and discussed a number of issues relating to a number of schemes supported by the Department, including the RSS review. At that meeting, it was made clear that the review will involve consultation with scheme representatives to ensure that the views of those working on the ground on schemes, along with those of other stakeholders, informs the review.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is an income support initiative which commenced in 2004 to provide part-time employment opportunities for farmers or fishermen and women who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are underemployed in their primary occupation.

The work undertaken by participants is primarily to support local service provision via community, voluntary and not-for-profit organisations, provided that this does not displace existing service provision or employment. Communities benefit from the skills and talents of local farmers and fisherpersons and the RSS participants have the opportunity to improve and develop new or existing skills, while working in their local communities.

During 2017 and 2018 the number of places funded on RSS was increased by 750, bringing the total number of places provided for up to 3,350. On the 6th May 2022, there were 2,898 participants on RSS.

In addition to the introduction of additional places, a maximum duration limit of six years on the scheme was also introduced for new participants who commenced on the scheme from 1st February 2017. The earliest date that any RSS participant will be affected by the six-year maximum duration limit will be 2023. RSS participants who commenced on the scheme prior to 1st February 2017 will remain on the scheme as long as they continue to satisfy the eligibility conditions of the scheme.

The Department continually monitors all its income and employment support programmes to ensure that they are achieving the best outcomes for participants and for the local communities in which they operate. Last December Minister Humphreys and I announced a number of reforms to RSS and community employment schemes. These changes included a provision to allow an RSS participant who reaches 60 years of age to remain on the scheme until they reach State pension age. This will immediately benefit 390 existing RSS participants over sixty years of age who commenced on the scheme since 2017 who will be able to stay on RSS until they reach state pension age.

An operational review of the RSS Programme is planned in 2022, and this will include a review of the six-year time limit for those aged under 60 years. While the pressure on places is not an issue at present, there is still the issue of having people become long term dependent on welfare and scheme payments rather than progressing into employment to be considered - in particular at a time with a tightening labour market. It will be necessary to allow some time before the impact on RSS of the changes implemented from 1st January 2022 are fully known, before completing the review during the course of 2022. This is also allowing time for schemes to return to normal post COVID operations.

I trust that this clarifies the situation.