Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 9 Dec 2003

Vol. 576 No. 5

Written Answers. - Rural Social Programme.

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

441 Mr. O'Dowd asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his proposals for the new rural social scheme; the areas of the country to which it will apply; the way in which he intends to spend the ?10 million and to select the 2,500 participants; if the scheme is oversubscribed in the first instance, the criteria that will then apply; if there will in fact be a revolving door policy, the way in which a person on social welfare who is not a farmer and does not have a herd number and resides in a qualifying area can benefit from the scheme if they are or are not on a FÁS or CCE scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30040/03]

Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Éamon Ó Cuív):

The details of the new rural social scheme are being fleshed out and I hope to be in a position to announce these shortly.

Subject to specified eligibility criteria, it is envisaged that the scheme will be open to farmers throughout the State. Clearly this will have a positive effect on the wider availability of places on existing community employment schemes. As regards instances where the number of applicants is in excess of the number of places on a scheme, I can confirm that a revolving door policy is an option under consideration.