RURAL SOCIAL SCHEME - GUIDE
Eamon O 'Cuiv T.D. launched the Rural Social Scheme in Mountbellew, Co Galway as part of
Budget 2004. It provides community based work on a part-time basis. The scheme brings many
benefits to rural life and rural communities have great expectations of what this scheme will
deliver for their locality. This scheme can deliver many measurable benefits to their local
communities. The Rural Social Scheme is specifically designed for rural people and its
operations and structures operate in a farmer-friendly manner. The scheme recognises that they
have a wealth of experience and talents that need to be preserved for generations. It is intended to
operate the scheme so that the talents of both farming and fisherman and women will be
harnessed for the good of the community. As a result this scheme is a community work
programme with a focus on the provision of direct services in the community.
What has been achieved by the Rural Social Scheme derives from two valuable qualities that the
Scheme possesses. Firstly, it is a locally-based Scheme that can be quickly redeployed to
respond flexibly to local priorities. Second, it is built on harnessing the skills of the farming
community and this has allowed the Scheme’s participants to help their neighbours even in the
most difficult weather conditions.
On 1st September 2010, the Rural Social Scheme (RSS) transferred from the Department of
Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs to the Department of Social Protection. The aim of
the RSS is to provide income support for farmers and fishermen/women who are getting certain
social welfare payments. In return, those participating in the RSS provide certain services that
benefit rural communities. The Department of Social Protection has overall responsibility for
policy in relation to the Rural Social Scheme, including eligibility criteria. The Department
monitors the implementation of the RSS and supports the various bodies that manage the RSS
locally. The Department may also inspect any Scheme and visit projects. At a local level, the
Scheme is managed by implementing bodies such as Local Development Companies and in the
Gaeltacht areas, by Údarás na Gaeltachta.
What type of work is carried out by those participating in the Scheme?
The type of work carried out by RSS participants includes:
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Maintaining and enhancing various walking routes (way-marked ways, agreed walks) and bog roads
Energy conservation work for older people and those at risk of poverty
Village and countryside enhancement projects
Social care and care of older people, community care for both pre-school and after-school groups
Environmental maintenance work - maintenance and care-taking of community and sporting facilities
Projects relating to not-for-profit cultural and heritage centres
Community administration or clerical work
Any other appropriate community based project identified during the course of the scheme
How many hours' work is involved and how long does the Scheme last?
Participants work 19.5 hours per week. These hours are based on a farmer/fisher-friendly
schedule. This is to ensure participation on the scheme does not affect your farming/fishing
activities. If you get a place on the Scheme, you will be offered a contract for an initial period
that will be from your start date up to the following 31st March. You may be considered for a
further term following the initial contract, if you continue to meet all the criteria for the Scheme.
Whether or not your application is successful is at the discretion of the local management. While
it is not intended that anyone would remain on the scheme permanently, there is no definite time
limit for participation.
If you are eligible for the Scheme but don’t wish to participate, your dependent spouse may take
the available place. However, this is only if neither of you are participating in any other similar
scheme, (for example, the Community Employment Scheme.) The Rural Social Scheme operates
independently of the FÁS Community Employment Scheme (CE).
Rules
The Rural Social Scheme is aimed at low-income farmers and fishermen/women unable to earn
an adequate living to earn a supplementary income.
To participate in the scheme you must be getting:
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Farm Assist
Or
If you are actively farming or fishing and meet the criteria set out below, you may qualify to
participate in the scheme if you are also getting one of the following social welfare payments:
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Jobseeker's Allowance,
Jobseeker's Benefit (if previously on CE or RSS within the last 12 months),
Disability Allowance,
One-Parent Family Payment,
Widow's/Widower's Contributory Pension or Widow's /Widower's Non-Contributory Pension
Increase for a Qualified Adult under 66 years of age as part your spouse's State Pension
(Non-Contributory).
Actively farming/fishing criteria
Criteria for a farmer
You must provide proof that you are actively farming. To do this, you must provide a copy of
your application for the EU Single Payment Scheme for the current year, including a valid herd
number and a copy of the associated receipt (official proof of postage). If you are actively
farming and have not applied for the EU Single Payment Scheme, you should contact your local
implementing body for advice.
Criteria for a child/sibling of a farmer
If you are a child/sibling of a herd number owner and you can certify that you are resident and/or
working on the farm and you are getting one of the qualifying social welfare payments, you may
be eligible to participate in the RSS on the basis of your parent’s/sibling’s herd number.
Criteria for a spouse of a farmer
If you are eligible but do not wish to participate in the RSS, your dependent spouse can take the
available place. Alternatively, if your spouse is getting one of the qualifying social welfare
payments and is actively farming, your spouse can use your herd number for the purposes of
qualifying for the scheme. Your spouse can participate in the RSS, if he/she is under 66 and you
are getting a State Pension (Non-Contributory) which includes an Increase for Qualified Adult
for him/her.
Criteria for a fisherman/woman
To be considered eligible to participate on the RSS a fisherman/woman must meet one of the
following categories:
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Self employed fisherman/woman on a fishing boat, which has been entered in the Register of
Fishing Boats
Self employed fisherman/woman whose boat has been issued with a pot fishing licence. The
Department of Communication, Energy and Natural Resources introduced this for small
fishing boats such as currachs who traditionally have fished for lobsters and were mainly
unlicensed
Self employed fisherman/woman who has been issued with a commercial salmon fishing
licence from Inland Fisheries Ireland
Self employed fisherman/woman who has been issued with a commercial eel fishing licence
from Inland Fisheries Ireland
Self employed fisherman/woman who has been issued with a dredging licence for shellfish
from Inland Fisheries Ireland
Holders of an aquaculture licence issued by the Department of Communication, Energy and
Natural Resources
Permit holders for shell fishing issued by a registered cooperative
Criteria for a spouse of a fisherman/woman
Your spouse can participate in the RSS, if he/she is under 66 and you are getting a State Pension
(Non-Contributory) which includes an Increase for Qualified Adult for him/her.
Rates
In 2011 the maximum Rural Social Scheme (RSS) weekly payment is as follows:
Participant Category
Total Weekly Payment
Participant without Adult Dependant
€208
Participant with Adult Dependant
€332.80 maximum*
Each Child Dependant (full rate)
€29.80
Each Child Dependant (half rate)
€14.90
*The amount of the increase for the adult dependant is assessed by the Department of Social
Protection. This means that the rate for a participant with an adult dependant may be reduced if
the adult dependant has income, for example, from part-time employment.
Any earnings outside your primary income of farming or fishing must remain within the income
threshold that applies to your social welfare payment. If your earnings bring you over the income
limit which determines your entitlement to a qualifying social welfare payment you will lose you
place on the RSS.
If your current social welfare payment includes a reduced rate for an adult dependant, then you
will be paid that equivalent on RSS. You are not entitled an RSS payment for your adult
dependant (spouse/partner) if he or she earns over €310 per week.
Participants in receipt of Disability Allowance, One-Parent Family Payment, Widow's/Widower's
(Contributory) Pension and Widow's/Widower's (Non-Contributory) Pension will continue to get
their payment from the Department of Social Protection, along with a top-up payment from the
RSS to bring their overall payment in line with the rates listed above for their family
circumstances. This is different to CE.
Widow's/Widower's Contributory Pension
In 2010 the maximum rate of the Widow's/Widower's Contributory Pension is €201.50 and the
RSS top-up payment is €14.50.
Participants under 66 years of age getting an Increase for a Qualified Adult (IQA) as part of your
spouse's State Pension (Non-Contributory). In this case, you will get a top-up payment. The
amount of top-up you get is the difference between your rate of IQA and the RSS payment. For
example, if you are getting the maximum rate of IQA at €153.50 you will get an RSS payment of
€62.50 in 2010.
PRSI contribution
If your RSS payment is €38 or more per week PRSI is paid at a Class A1 rate. If your RSS top-up
is under €38 per week PRSI may be paid at a Class J.
Tax
Your income is liable for tax although it is likely you will pay little or no tax. Find out more
about tax.
Other social welfare and Health Service Executive payments
RSS allows low-income farmers and fishermen/women who are unable to earn an adequate
living from their farm holding or from fishing earn a supplementary income. If you are getting
other social welfare or Health Service Executive (HSE) payments you should check with your
Social Welfare Local Office or Local Health Office, to find out if it will be affected.
What if I am involved in a Community Group or Voluntary Organisation?
Applications are sought annually from Community Groups & Voluntary Organisations who
would like to see a scheme based in their area. These plans should outline the various tasks
being put forward and a timetable for their completion within a 12 month period. An application
form is available to download from the company website www.ldco.ie.
Where a group is not registered they should link up with a local community development
company who are and put forward various tasks for completion through this applicant. Only
applications with fully completed work plans will be put forward to the Board of Executives and
the Department of Social Protection for approval for the scheme year. Due to the high volume of
applications submitted each year, Participants are shared amongst a number or projects.
Therefore Participants are not solely assigned to any individual project.
Re-pinning piers - Drumreilly
Maintenance work - Annaduff
Who Supervises the Participants?
There are 5 key scheme areas in the Leitrim Development Company Rural Social Scheme. Each
of the 5 scheme areas has responsibility for approximately 20 Participants. They can be contacted
as follows:
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North Leitrim
Mid Leitrim
Mid-South Leitrim
South Leitrim I
South Leitrim II
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Margaret Sharkey
Seamus Shanley
James Brogan
Seamus Shanley
Brendan Gilhooly
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(086)-8521791
(086)-8521798
(086)-8521785
(086)-7716896
(086)-0490225
How to apply
As this scheme is administered on a local level, you should contact your local RSS implementing
body for further information or an application form.
By Mail:
Karen Guihen
RSS Co-ordinator
Leitrim Development Company
Church Street, Drumshanbo, Co Leitrim
Tel: 071 9641770 Fax: 071 9641771
By E-mail:
Email: rss@ldco.ie
Apply Online:
Web:
www.ldco.ie