Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 September 2025
143. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans for increased flexibility in local community employment, TÚS, and rural social schemes to retain participants for longer when it benefits both the individual and the community. [50747/25]
View answerThe Department of Social Protection operates a number of employment support schemes for people on social welfare payments to assist them attain relevant skills and experience to secure sustainable employment and which also assist communities across the country in the provision of vital services.
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.
A number of changes have been introduced in recent times to support CE sponsors in their recruitment of participants, including:
• A provision to allow CE participants who reach 60 years of age to remain in CE until they reach state pension age.
• Some flexibility granted to CE sponsors to retain existing participants for extended periods in cases where a replacement can’t be recruited immediately.
• Changes to eligibility criteria extending CE eligibility to the adult dependents of those in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance.
• A new pilot scheme to extend CE eligibility to those over 50 years of age in receipt of credits or a combination of credits & Jobseekers Benefit.
Tús is focused on shorter term work experience and skills development and the contract duration of 12 months applicable to the Tús scheme ensures that as many people as possible, who are eligible to participate, can benefit from the scheme. Generally, Tús participants who have completed 52 weeks on the programme may progress onto CE where it is considered appropriate.
A number of reforms were introduced to the Tús scheme in the past, one of which allows up to 30% of current Tús participants, who are due to exit the scheme to have their contracts extended for a period of up to six months, on a case-by-case basis. This rule applies where no suitable replacements have been referred to fill a Tús vacancy in particular circumstances.
As you may be aware, a review of the RSS was published on the 24th July 2024. The review was undertaken to examine the role of the scheme, its ongoing relevance to the changing landscape, the funding and resourcing required along with the appropriate governance and management arrangements. The review report includes 19 recommendations to address the sustainability of the RSS.
The following recommendations have been recently introduced:
• the provision of 3-year contracts to existing RSS participants from 1st April 2025;
• the RSS renewal process will be undertaken at 3 yearly intervals instead of the current annual review.
• existing RSS participants who reach age 60 will not be subject to any further review of means or circumstances until they exit the scheme at age 66. However, it is important to note that the onus continues to remain on all RSS participants to notify my Department of a change in their household circumstances that could affect their rate of payment.
• The Implementing Bodies have also been asked to explore options with people who are exiting the scheme to encourage them to participate as a volunteer within the company, in particular those who have reached 66 years.
My Department is continuing to progress the implementation of the remaining recommendations.
Overall, I recognise that these employment, activation and income support programmes enable participants to make a significant contribution to their communities whilst up-skilling themselves for prospective future employment, as appropriate. I wish to re-iterate that my Department keeps all aspects of these programmes under ongoing review to ensure they continue to deliver the best outcomes for participants and communities.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
