This article is from page 36 of the 2007-05-22 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 36 JPG
MORE than 200 farmers could be forced off the Rural Social Scheme in Ireland before the end of the year, according to a survey released last week by the ICMSA Rural Develop- ment Committee.
Chairperson of the ICMSA Ru- ral Development Committee, John O’Donnell, stated that he believes the Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is a crucial measure for rural Ireland.
The scheme, which was introduced in 2004, helps to maintain farming in certain parts of the country. This is done by providing income sup- port to farmers who are currently in receipt of long-term social welfare
payments. It has also enhanced rural communities, through maintaining and improving local amenities, as well as delivering a range of other OMIA one
“Although there are over 200 on the waiting list nationally, in cer- tain parts of the country there are as many as 20 on the list, which would mean that 20 farmers could be forced to step down from the RSS in a sin- gle county,’ he said.
“The Leader companies _inter- viewed confirmed to ICMSA that they have stopped recruiting partici- pants for the RSS to avoid increasing the waiting list.”
O’Donnell also explained why over 200 participants in the scheme could
face the chop. The RSS is based on the FAS Community Employment Scheme and has many of the same terms and conditions.
‘Participation in the scheme is on an annual basis and the individual must therefore continue to be eligible for the scheme annually.
“However, 1n an area where there is a waiting list, after spending three years on the scheme, an individual could be forced to leave the scheme to accommodate the waiting list. Since the scheme has been in opera- tion since 2004, this is the first year that we will see this clause being UEtere
“The RSS has become a crucial scheme for the 2,600 families partic-
ipating in it and the rural communi- ties that they live in,” he continued.
“The earnings from the RSS now constitute a large proportion of these 2,600 familie’s household income. A certain level of dependence will have been built on this income and the threat of taking it away from some of the participants is not acceptable. Some RSS workers have also built up a certain level of social dependence over the last three years working on the scheme.
“When these factors are coupled with the huge benefit that the scheme has delivered to rural communities, there 1s a very strong argument to actually increase the places on the scheme.”