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Rural Social Scheme

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 July 2020

Thursday, 30 July 2020

Questions (825, 827, 828)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

825. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of providing for an additional 500 places on the rural social scheme. [20022/20]

View answer

Claire Kerrane

Question:

827. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing funding to the rural social scheme by 10%. [20024/20]

View answer

Claire Kerrane

Question:

828. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing funding to Tús by 10%. [20025/20]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 825 to 828, inclusive, together.

The Tús scheme provides work placements for a twelve month period for those who are fully unemployed and on the live register for a year or more. The Tús initiative helps break the cycle of long-term unemployment by providing a work routine and valuable work experience.

The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) provides opportunities for farmers and fishermen/women who are currently in receipt of specified social welfare payments to work to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. Communities benefit from the skills and talents of local farmers and fishermen and participants have the opportunity to improve existing skills, or develop new skills, while performing this valuable work in their local communities.

The Tús budget for 2020 is €98 million and the estimated full year cost of a 10% increase in funding for Tús would therefore be €9.8 million.

The RSS budget for 2020 is €54 million and the estimated full year cost of a 10% increase in funding for RSS would therefore be €5.4 million.

Assuming that the existing participants supported by rural social scheme as of 1st January 2020 remain at the current payment rate, the estimated cost of an additional 500 RSS places for a full year is €8.3m. The net additional cost for 500 RSS places for a full year, when Farm/Fish Assist payments are taken into account, would be of the order of €2.8m.

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