Brendan Smith
Question:60. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to increase the numbers participating in the rural social scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14962/26]
View answerThursday, 26 February 2026
Questions (60)
Written answers
The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is an income-support initiative that provides part-time employment opportunities within community and voluntary organisations for farmers and fishers who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are underemployed in their primary occupation. The work undertaken is primarily to support local service provision via community, voluntary and not-for-profit organisations, provided that this does not displace existing service provision or employment. RSS participants generally work 19.5 hour per week.
There are 3,350 participant places available on the scheme. At the end of January 2026, there were 2,588 participants on RSS.
A review of the RSS scheme, completed in July 2024, made a series of recommendations to enhance the long-term sustainability of the scheme and to ensure continued support for rural communities. A number of these recommendations have been implemented. These include the introduction of three-year contracts for participants, a reduction in the frequency of means reviews to every three years and allowing participants who reach the age of 60 to remain on the scheme until they reach 66.
Budget 2026 provided for the implementation of an additional three recommendations from January 2026, with the aim of increasing participation in the scheme; -
• Extend RSS on a pilot basis to include rural dwellers who are 50 years or over, in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment and whose primary residence is in a rural area. A total of 250 places has been ringfenced for this pilot.
• Extend RSS to people engaged in farming or fishing who are not the primary holder of the herd number or fishing licence but who have a defined connection to the farming/fishing enterprise.
• Extend RSS to members of a couple jointly engaged in farming /fishing where only one herd number or fishing licence is held.
The implementation of these recommendations from 1 January 2026 is contributing to the continued sustainability of the scheme by broadening the cohort of individuals eligible to participate. Since their implementation in January the rural dweller pilot has shown particularly positive results, with 35 rural dwellers having commenced participation to date.
My Department continues to undertake a range of promotional activities to highlight the work of the scheme and to encourage participation. These include annual promotion at the National Ploughing Championships, advertising in the Irish Farmers Journal, and notices in local newspapers.
I recognise the valuable contribution this programme makes to local communities through the wide range of vital services it supports. My Department continues to explore ways to increase participation and is actively engaging with other relevant Departments and agencies as part of this work.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.