Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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148. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to consider changes that could be made to the rural social scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39375/24]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) has been subject to a full scheme review over the past year, with the report launched in July 2024. The report contains 19 recommendations, and my Department is currently examining how these recommendations can be progressed.

New flexible pension arrangements were introduced on 1^st January 2024. These new arrangements applies to supervisors on employment programmes, including RSS supervisors, who can now continue to work until the day before their 70th birthday. The new measures are specifically for people in standard employment situations and do not apply to participants on State supported schemes such as RSS, where the participant qualifies as a result of their being in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment in advance of their placement on the scheme. Accordingly participants on the RSS can continue to remain on the scheme until they reach the standard State pension age, 66, as long as they continue to have an entitlement to their underlying social welfare payment.

Participants on RSS receive a weekly top up payment of €27.50 in addition to their underlying social welfare payment. As part of Budget 2025, weekly social welfare rates are due to increase by €12 from January 2025, an increase which will also apply to participants on RSS.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.