Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 March 2012
242 Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an up-to-date analysis of the rural social scheme, including a county-by-county breakdown of numbers on waiting lists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13472/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe purpose of the rural social scheme (RSS) is to provide income support for farmers and fisherpersons who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments. Persons are engaged for 19½ hours per week to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. The scheme currently provides work opportunities for around 2,600 participants and 130 supervisory staff.
Overall responsibility for the operation of the RSS rests with the Department of Social Protection with day-to-day delivery and management resting with 35 implementing bodies (IBs) comprising 34 local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta. The number of participants and supervisory positions allocated to each implementing body is set out in the table below. Implementing bodies are free to recruit to any vacant position without reference to the Department. Accordingly, the Department does not maintain a central database of persons who may have been successful in a recruitment process but for whom no vacancy arises. Given the nature of the RSS, where vacancies arise, implementing bodies are required to advertise such vacancies and to conduct an open recruitment process. My Department is currently engaged in an annual process of data collection in respect of the operation of the RSS in 2011. This information will be collated and verified and will be made available by the middle of 2012. Some €45.66 million is being made available to the RSS in 2012.
|
Implementing Body |
Participant Quota |
Supervisor Quota |
|
Avondhu/Blackwater Partnership Ltd. |
17 |
1 |
|
Ballyhoura Development Limited |
47 |
2 |
|
Breffni Integrated Limited |
80 |
4 |
|
Carlow County Development Partnership Ltd. |
18 |
1 |
|
Cill Dara ar Aghaidh Teoranta |
22 |
1 |
|
Clare Local Development Co. Ltd. |
117 |
6 |
|
Co. Wicklow Community Partnership |
20 |
1 |
|
Comhar na nOileán Teoranta |
20 |
0 |
|
County Kilkenny LEADER Partnership Company Limited |
19 |
1 |
|
County Sligo LEADER Partnership Co. Ltd. |
124 |
6 |
|
Donegal Local Development Company Ltd |
76 |
4 |
|
FORUM Connemara Ltd. |
14 |
1 |
|
Galway Rural Development Co. Ltd. |
156 |
8 |
|
Inishowen Development Partnership |
30 |
2 |
|
IRD Duhallow Ltd. |
58 |
3 |
|
Laois Community and Enterprise Development Co. Ltd. |
25 |
1 |
|
Leitrim Integrated Development Company Ltd. |
100 |
5 |
|
Longford Community Resources |
55 |
3 |
|
Louth LEADER Partnership |
10 |
0 |
|
Meath Community Rural and Social Development Partnership Ltd. |
16 |
1 |
|
Monaghan Integrated Development Limited |
40 |
2 |
|
North and East Kerry LEADER Partnership Teoranta |
89 |
5 |
|
Mayo North East LEADER Partnership Co. Teo. |
221 |
11 |
|
North Tipperary LEADER Partnership |
37 |
2 |
|
Offaly Integrated Local Development Company Ltd. |
52 |
3 |
|
Roscommon Integrated Development Company Ltd. |
149 |
7 |
|
South and East Cork Area Development |
8 |
1 |
|
South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd. |
138 |
7 |
|
South Tipperary Development Company Limited |
26 |
1 |
|
South West Mayo Development Company Ltd. |
191 |
10 |
|
Údarás na Gaeltachta |
437 |
21 |
|
Waterford LEADER Partnership Ltd. |
12 |
0 |
|
West Cork Development Partnership Ltd. |
68 |
3 |
|
West Limerick Resources |
36 |
2 |
|
Westmeath Community Development Ltd. |
33 |
2 |
|
Wexford Local Development |
39 |
2 |
|
Totals |
2,600 |
130 |
