Tony McCormack (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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114. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection his plans to increase the top-up payment for participants on CE, TÚS, and the rural social scheme, in recognition of the important work they do in local communities. [50748/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Department offers a range of employment schemes and other supports to encourage long-term unemployed people to return to work, while also assisting communities across the country in the provision of vital services. They are targeted at people who have been on an unemployment payment or certain other social welfare payments for a specific period of time.

Community Employment (CE) and Tús are employment activation measures designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis.

The Rural Social scheme (RSS) is an income support initiative that provides part-time employment opportunities in community and voluntary organisations for farmers or fishermen who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are underemployed in their primary occupation.

There are currently 19,557 participants on CE, 4,572 participants on Tús and 2,619 participants on the RSS. Government investment in the schemes will amount to over €515 million in 2025.

The weekly rate of pay on CE/Tús/RSS is determined by the underlying social welfare payment which would be payable to the participant based on their household composition and financial circumstances, plus the weekly top up rate of €27.50. Participants may also be entitled to increases in relation to a qualified adult or qualified children or fuel allowance.

The Programme for Government includes a commitment to ‘Increase the top-up payment for participants on CE, Tús, and the Rural Social Scheme in recognition of the important work they do in local communities'. This commitment will be advanced over the lifetime of the Government in the annual budget context and in light of available resources.

Any changes to the rates of these schemes including an increase to the current €27.50 per week top up amount will have budgetary implications and would need to be considered in the Department's overall policy and budgetary context.