Consultation
Public Consultation on the Rural Social Scheme Review
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Open for submissions from
Submissions closed
Last updated on
Consultation is closed
The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) was launched in May 2004 to provide financial support to eligible low-income farmers and fisherpersons in receipt of certain long-term social welfare payments while also enabling them to use their skills to provide services to benefit rural communities.
The work is mainly to support local community, voluntary and not-for-profit organisations, as long as it does not displace existing services or employment. Communities in turn benefit from the skills and talents of local farmers and fisherpersons since they can be easily adapted to most tasks.
There are 3,350 participant places plus 139 supervisor places available on the scheme.
The Rural Social Scheme is delivered through 35 Local Development Companies and Údarás Na Gaeltachta. These are also known as Implementing Bodies (IBs).
Participation is by voluntary self-selection and is dependent on the availability of vacancies in the relevant area. Participants work for 19.5 hours a week.
We will review various aspects of the scheme including:
- the rationale
- sustainability
- societal impact
- funding arrangements
- future governance and management of the scheme
The review will also examine:
- the role of the scheme
- its ongoing relevance to the changing landscape
- the funding and resourcing required
The full purpose of the consultation are available in the terms of reference.
The invites for written submissions are open until Friday 30 June 2023. The consultation will take place with present stakeholders in the scheme, relevant community groups and representative bodies across Ireland and members of the public. A steering group is supporting the implementation of the review and findings from the process with help to improve future of the Rural Social Scheme.
We now invite interested parties, representative groups and the public to give their views by way of a written submission.
If you are making a written submission, please use the submission template document here.
You can email your completed submission directly to RSSReview@welfare.ie
Before making a submission please review the privacy information below.
Email: RSSReview@welfare.ie
Address: RSS Review, Community Schemes Unit, Department of Social Protection, Shannon Lodge, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim
The closing date for submissions is 5.30pm on Friday 16 of June 2023.
Findings from the public consultation process will be considered by the department.
Please note that submissions may be published on the department’s website.
This is a public consultation and the Freedom of Information Act 2014 applies.
Personal information should not be provided and any personal information which you volunteer may be published. Any material which you do not wish to be made public should not be included.
Material or information that is regarded as commercially sensitive by you should not be included.
However, if you provide it, you should clearly identify the material and the reason for its sensitivity and why it should not be published or made available under the Freedom of Information Act.
The department’s full Privacy Statement and Data Protection Policy are here.
