Rural Social Scheme

Programme Aim

To provide income support for farmers and fishermen in Ireland who are receipt of long-term social welfare payments.  In return, those participating in the scheme will provide certain services that benefit rural communities.

Services provided:

• Maintaining and enhancing various walking routes (that is, 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.

How long the scheme lasts?

Employment is for 19.5 hours per week for an initial 12-month period, while it is not intended as a permanent employment, there is no definite time limit for participation on the scheme.

How to join the scheme?

• Farm Assist or have a herd or flock number or certain social welfare payments.
• Be a self-employed fisherman/woman on a fishing boat which is entered in the Register of Fishing Boats.
• Be a child or sibling of a qualifying herd or flock owner etc.
• RSS allows low-income farmers and fishers who are unable to earn an adequate living from their farm holding or from fishing earn a supplementary income.

To find out more about the RSS please contact one of our Staff