Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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475. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide a detailed breakdown and a full disclosure on several matters relating to the curlew conservation programme in operation since 2017 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6413/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Curlew Conservation Programme was established in 2017 to pioneer Curlew conservation efforts in Ireland. The programme was funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Annual reports are published on the NPWS website on the link below:

www.npws.ie/farmers-and-landowners/schemes/curlew-conservation-programme

The scope, range and depth of the Question requires data, information, analysis and an allocation of research resources that are appropriate to a full forensic review of the programme and this cannot be undertaken in the reply timeline of a Parliamentary Question. I have asked my Department to arrange a briefing for the Deputy on the programme in early course.

Holly Cairns (Cork South-West, Social Democrats)
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476. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the current amount of funding allocated to the rural social scheme; and the number of individuals in receipt of payment under the scheme, by local area, in tabular form. [6218/25]

Holly Cairns (Cork South-West, Social Democrats)
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477. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of applicants to the rural social scheme; and the number of rejected applications to the scheme, from 2020 to date, in tabular form. [6219/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 476 and 477 together.

The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is an income support initiative providing part-time employment opportunities for farmers or fishers in receipt of certain social welfare payments, and underemployed in their primary occupation, within their local area in community and voluntary organisations.

The scheme currently has sanction for 3,350 participants with a budget of €52.6m available for RSS in 2025. At the end of January 2025 there were a total of 2,678 participants supported on the scheme.

Table 1 below outlines the number of paid RSS participants as requested. Please note the breakdown of paid participants is given by Implementing Body.

Table 2 below outlines the number of RSS participants who commenced on the RSS during the period 2020 to the end of Jan 2025.

As the Deputy is aware RSS is delivered by the local development companies (the Implementing Bodies) and Údarás Na Gaeltachta in the Gaeltacht regions. Applications to participate on the scheme are made directly to the relevant Implementing Body. Information on the number of applicants who did not satisfy the eligibility criteria for the scheme is not available in the Department.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Table 1 – Breakdown of RSS Participants at 31st January 2025.

Table 2 – Number of participants who commenced on RSS.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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478. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if his predecessor spoke formally with her US counterpart in 2024. [5470/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise the Deputy, that my predecessor was not in direct contact with her US counterpart in 2024.

I hope this clarifies the matter.