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Rural Social Scheme (RSS) changes are on the way to allow a farming or fishing couple to both access the €52m per year scheme, with each using the same herd number or fishing licence simultaneously.
Also on the way are three-year contracts for participants.
Furthermore, participants aged over 60 will be permitted to remain in the scheme until they reach 66, without any further means test or renewal process.
The changes could be implemented within a month, said Minister of State Joe O'Brien last week, when he reported on the government's review of the Rural Social Scheme (RSS).
Since 2004, the RSS income support has provided part-time employment in community and voluntary organisations for farmers or fishers in receipt of certain social welfare payments. Their work primarily supports community, voluntary and not-for-profit organisations, and includes maintenance of sporting facilities, community recreation areas, and walking routes.
The RSS is delivered by 36 local development companies, and Údarás na Gaeltachta. With 3,350 participant places and 139 supervisor places available, there are currently only 2,699 participants and 126 supervisors.
RSS participants are contracted to work 19.5 hours per week. They get their social welfare payments plus €27.50 per week, subject to a minimum payment of €259.50 per week. The budget 2025 social welfare increase of €12 (from January 1) will bring the weekly RSS minimum to €271.50. RSS participants are subject to normal tax and PRSI deductions.
Now, declining RSS participation has led to concern that rural communities may be left without some services.
It was concluded in the recent review that the RSS is an important social inclusion and income support function for low-income farmers and fishers, delivering key rural community services.
Minister of State O'Brien said the review recommendations will significantly contribute to the sustainability of the RSS.
He said it is increasingly economically less viable for small farmers and fishers to continue, and in this context, a rural dwellers pilot scheme is the key RSS review recommendation. "What we are proposing, basically, for the first time, which is quite a dramatic change, especially if it progresses, is that we are decoupling the connection with the farm or the trawler, in the pilot".
The RSS eligibility pool would be multiplied exponentially.
Initially, there will be 250 rural dwellers pilot places, seven each for the local development companies and Údarás. The targeted customers are aged over 50, on a social welfare payment, living in a rural area. Work is well advanced on this, said Minister of State O'Brien.
Another review recommendation being followed up is promotional activity to highlight how important the RSS work is.
There was a total of 19 recommendations, with the Minister of State saying his officials would examine the remaining recommendations, which included that the RSS be reviewed every five years.
Addressing the Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands, the Minister of State said there is no RSS quota or limit. "If demand shoots up for the RSS, we will facilitate it. It is not a constraint on anybody finding a place on the scheme at present. There is no threat to the scheme".
He also noted that a six-year rule for participants who joined the RSS in February 2017 was removed at the end of June 2022. This allows participants to remain on the scheme until they reach state pension age, as long as they continue to satisfy the eligibility requirements.
For RSS supervisors, the new flexible pension arrangements (introducing a deferred pension age up to 70) allow them to continue to work until the day before their 70th birthday. The Department is funding supervisor positions from 66 to 70, however the decision to retain a supervisor remains with their employer, the local RSS implementing body.
The RSS is "great value for money", said Oireachtas Committee member Éamon Ó Cuív, TD. Welcoming the RSS review, he said, "If the €52m was taken away in the morning, they would all fall back on farm assist, fish assist and other payments, and there would still be a large residual payment, which I reckon could be up to €40m. Therefore, the real cost of providing these super services is about €10m".
