Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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526. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to list the main recommendation of the review of the rural social scheme published in July 2024; the plans to implement any of the recommendations, including the full-year cost of extending the scheme to couples engaged in farming/fishing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43068/24]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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As the Deputy is aware, the review of the Rural Social Scheme (RSS) was published and officially launched on the 24^th July 2024, which coincided with a visit to the South West Mayo Partnership Company, to view first hand some of the work that is undertaken on the scheme.

The report includes 19 recommendations (see list of recommendations in Appendix 1) to address the sustainability of the RSS to continue to provide income support, social inclusion, and service delivery in rural communities. As you will appreciate, it will take time to explore the feasibility of all 19 recommendations, so the Department has concentrated initially on the implementation of the following six recommendations and is working proactively to progress these.

• to undertake a pilot scheme targeted at customers who are 50 years of age or over and on a qualifying social welfare payment and living in a rural area. This Rural Dweller pilot will see 250 places ring-fenced from within the existing number of places on RSS;
• to consider allowing a couple engaged in Farming/Fishing to both access RSS;
• to offer 3-year contracts to participants;
• to adjust the renewal process to be undertaken in 3 yearly intervals;
• to allow those who are over 60 years of age to remain on RSS until they reach 66 and finally
• to undertake promotional activity to highlight the important work on the scheme.

(a) Consider undertaking a pilot scheme of 250 places available to ‘Rural Dwellers’ 50 years of age and over on a social welfare payment.

(b) Extend the scheme to people engaged in farming or fishing who are not the holder of the herd number or fishing licence but who have a ‘defined’ connection to the farming/fishing enterprise.

(c) Allow CE participants who have completed their 6 years on that scheme, are over 50 years of age and who have not progressed to employment to opt for the RSS on certain conditions including the participants’ capacity to secure employment.

(d) Consider the feasibility of allowing a couple engaged in farming /fishing to both access the RSS.

(a) that some promotional activity is undertaken annually to highlight the work undertaken and to promote the scheme.

The steering group while accepting that rates of payment are a budgetary matter, made the following recommendations.

(a) That means reviews are undertaken at 3 yearly intervals, instead of the current annual review.

(b) That participants on reaching 60 would be allowed remain on the scheme without any further review of means or circumstances until they reach 66.

(a) that participants are given three-year contracts.

(b) that funding be made available to IBs towards participant training.

(c) that Implementing Bodies should explore options with people who are exiting the RSS to encourage them to participate as a volunteer within the company, in particular those who have reached 66 years.

that funding be made available to IBs towards supervisor training and upskilling.

(a) Consider the feasibility of establishing a grant ‘fund’ which would be available for work on climate/green initiatives. Biodiversity, etc.

(b) Consider the feasibility of establishing a capital grant fund for projects meeting specific conditionality.

(c) Recommends that the Department of Social Protection should engage with other Government Departments to establish the feasibility of progressing these two recommendations.

(a) DSP, Department of Rural and Community Development, Department of Agriculture & Marine and Local Authorities should strengthen the current linkages on role of RSS in community services.

(b) DSP should have regular meetings with Reps of Farming & Rural Organisations.

(a) Community and Voluntary Groups who are RSS scheme project sponsors/sponsors should continue to adhere to principles of good governance and a code of practice developed by the sector.

(b) That further consideration be given to where overall operational responsibility for the RSS is best placed to ensure better alignment with overall Government policy and the desirability of the RSS being linked to other ‘activation’ type work programmes.

The RSS should be reviewed every 5 years to ensure that its core objectives remain relevant having regard to the rural economy and labour market and implement changes to the scheme as required.