Foilsiú
Operational Guidelines: Rural Social Scheme
Foilsithe
An t-eolas is déanaí
Teanga: Níl leagan Gaeilge den mhír seo ar fáil.
Foilsithe
An t-eolas is déanaí
Teanga: Níl leagan Gaeilge den mhír seo ar fáil.
The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) provides income support for underemployed farmers and those engaged in fishing who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments. Participants are engaged for 19½ hours per week to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. The scheme currently provides work opportunities for around 3,350 participants and 133 supervisory staff. The scheme was initiated in 2004 under the aegis of the then Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. Responsibility for the scheme transferred from the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs to this department with effect from 1 September 2010.
RSS is a non-statutory initiative approved by Government. The functions of the Minister for Social Protection in respect of employment schemes and related schemes and programmes are set out in Part 3 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2010 (Number 37 of 2010).
The scheme is delivered and managed at local level through the network of local development companies (sometimes referred to as Partnership or LEADER companies). These companies have responsibility for the delivery of the EU co-funded Rural Development Programme and other publicly funded programmes supporting enterprise development and support for persons who are unemployed. Údarás na Gaeltachta delivers and manages the initiative in Gaeltacht areas. These companies are collectively known as the Implementing Bodies (IBs). Each IB has been awarded a specific quota of RSS placements at both supervisory and participant level based on the distribution of the numbers in receipt of Farm Assist. A list of the companies, the level of participants allocated and the areas they cover is included in the Appendix to these Guidelines.
The IBs manage the day-to-day implementation and supervision of the RSS. They are responsible for advertising and promoting the initiative and identifying and selecting suitable work placements and community groups. Policy and general operational responsibility rests with the Rural Social Scheme (RSS) Unit.
Participation on the scheme is by way of voluntary self-selection, based on the eligibility conditions set out below.
Eligibility is confined to those in receipt of certain qualifying payments and holding a Herd Number from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine. To be eligible to participate an individual must be aged 25 or over, be in receipt of Farm/Fish Assist or one of the qualifying Social Welfare payments and meet the criteria for either a self-employed farmer or a fisherman/woman.
From 1 January 2016, the qualifying payment Jobseeker's Benefit (if previously on CE or RSS within the last 12 months) has been removed from the list of RSS qualifying payments. It is open to those on JB to apply for JA or Farm/Fish Assist which are qualifying payments for RSS.
Illness benefit is not a qualifying Social Welfare Payment for the RSS.
In order to be deemed eligible to participate on the scheme, an individual must provide proof to their IB that they are actively farming, by providing a copy of their application for the EU Basic Farm Payment for the current year, which includes a valid herd number together with a copy of the associated receipt (official proof of postage).
Fishermen/women that meet any of the following categories can be considered eligible to participate on the scheme:
Spousal swaps are allowed. If an eligible person does not wish to participate on the RSS, his or her dependent spouse/civil partner/cohabitant can apply in their place. In these instances, the person originally qualified must give up his or her qualifying DSP payment if his or her spouse/civil partner/cohabitant is accepted on the RSS. Spouse swap is not possible for fisherpersons. Spouse swap is not possible for fisherpersons.
A child/sibling of a herd number owner and who is deemed to be actively farming and getting one of the qualifying social welfare payments, may be eligible to participate in the RSS on the basis of their parents/siblings herd number. It is not possible for more than one individual to qualify for the RSS using the same Herd Number. This option is not available to a child/sibling of a fisherperson.
Participants sign a contract, with the IB annually and must maintain their eligibility in order to continue their placement. Any change in circumstances that impact on continuing eligibility must be notified. A participant must be actively farming/fishing and must retain entitlement to any qualifying social welfare payment and any participants who qualified from Jobseeker's Benefit prior to 01/01/2016 must have an entitlement to Jobseeker's Allowance or Farm Assist to remain on the Rural Social Scheme. Where it is determined that a participant no longer has an entitlement to Farm Assist, Jobseeker's Allowance or the qualifying payment for the scheme, their entitlement to RSS will cease. However, they may continue to participate on the scheme until their current contract expires. The Department of Social Protection reserves the right to have the eligibility of a participant re-assessed at any time. Participants on the Rural Social Scheme must retire at the end of the last working day prior to their 66th birthday.
The methodology for determining the rate of payment on the scheme was amended during 2012. The changes came into effect for any person joining the scheme after the 17 September 2012 and for any participants who have their claim reviewed. Persons on the scheme prior to this date who have not had a review will continue to be paid in accordance with the arrangement in place prior to the effective date of the changes until a review of entitlement is administered.
Post 17 September 2012:
With effect from 17th September 2012, the method of calculating payments on the scheme was amended to bring them in line with those paid on the Community Employment programme and Tús, the community work placement initiative. All new participants on the scheme from this date onwards are paid the equivalent of their existing rate of social welfare payment plus a top-up of €27.50, with a minimum payment of €259.50 being awarded for those joining the scheme with an existing social welfare payment rate of €203 from March 2019 or less per week. The payment is therefore determined by the amount of the original qualifying social welfare payment, as subject to a minimum payment of €259.50 per week. This is regardless of dependants and exclusive of Fuel Allowance.
Persons aged under 25 years, in receipt of a reduced rate of Jobseeker's Allowance will receive the full rate of €259.50 while participating on the scheme.
Class A employee PRSI is calculated at 4% of gross weekly earnings.
For gross earnings between €352.01 and €424 in a week, the 4% PRSI charge is reduced by the PRSI credit.
The amount of the PRSI Credit depends on your gross weekly earnings.
At gross weekly earnings of €352.01, the maximum PRSI Credit of €12.00 per week applies.
For earnings between €352.01 and €424 (sub-classes AX and AL), the maximum weekly PRSI Credit at €12.00, is reduced by one-sixth of earnings in excess of €352.01.
Participants are exempt from paying the Universal Social Charge (USC). RSS is regarded as income for income tax purposes. The Revenue Commissioners are automatically notified by Pobal as participants commence on the scheme and Revenue will then allocate the appropriate tax credits and Tax Bands in respect of each individual participant. Participants are paid directly into their bank accounts by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) on a weekly basis.
Participants are under an obligation to advise their IB of any change in circumstances that may impact on the value of their weekly payment. The rate of payment is calculated based on the means test for Farm Assist or Jobseekers Allowance The level of pay may vary during the participant's period of employment on the scheme if there are changes to:
Participation does not result in loss of secondary benefits such as medical card, fuel allowance, back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance. Entitlements to secondary benefits are set out under other guidelines and by the Health Services Executive in the case of medical cards. Participants are advised of their entitlements to secondary benefits during their participation on the scheme and this is reflected in guidance provided for the operation of the scheme.
Participants are required to work 19½ hours per week. Implementing Bodies are encouraged, where possible, to allow flexibility over when these hours are discharged, in order to facilitate seasonal farm/fishing-related activity.
It is the responsibility of the IB, in conjunction with information supplied by participants and their supervisors, to ensure Pobal (the payroll provider) is provided with correct payment details. In cases where underpayments have arisen, the Department of Social Protection and Pobal will endeavour to correct same in a timely manner. In cases where an overpayment has arisen, the IB will liaise with the payroll provider and the individual concerned, to ensure a realistic repayment plan is established. The onus is always on the individual concerned to ensure they have provided accurate and up-to-date written information on which to base their rate of payment. All participants are required to notify the IB in writing of any changes to their personal and/or household circumstances which may necessitate a change to their rate of payment. These changes can include, but are not limited to:
Participants may undertake part time work, education or training whilst on the scheme provided it does not interfere either with their farming/fishing or scheme obligations. Any wages/salary/payment received from this work will be assess as means. The part-time study and any grants/allowances paid on foot of it must be declared in writing to DSP.
IBs play the lead-role in identifying organisations to provide placement opportunities. Those organisations eligible to participate must be:
Community organisations engaged in the provision of local services with the support of other publicly supported programmes such as the Community Services Programme, Community Employment Programme, Jobs Initiative or the Tús Initiative and voluntary organisations funded by the Health Services Executive or by the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs are considered eligible insofar as the placements do not displace or substitute employment supported under relevant programmes. Additionally, Citizen Information Centres and Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) are eligible.
Public bodies (local authorities, voluntary education committees, Health Service Executive) or the functions that are the statutory responsibility of these bodies are not eligible for support. Similarly, individuals, sole traders, corporate or private bodies, commercial entities (for profit bodies or organisations) offering work placements are not considered to be eligible work placement providers for this initiative. Schools and colleges (private or public even if voluntary in nature) are not eligible for support, however this does not exclude certain limited services being provided where these are considered not to part of educational or supervisory functions of the school.
| IMPLEMENTING BODY | PARTICIPANT QUOTA |
| Ballyhoura Development Limited | 63 |
| Co Sligo Leader Partnership Company | 148 |
| Donegal Local Development Co Ltd | 142 |
| East Cork Area Development | 20 |
| Galway Rural Development Co Ltd | 222 |
| Inishowen Rural Development Ltd | 42 |
| IRD Duhallow Ltd | 74 |
| Longford Community Resources | 65 |
| South Kerry Development Part Ltd | 167 |
| South West Mayo Development Co Ltd | 240 |
| Waterford Leader Partnership Ltd | 15 |
| West Limerick Resources | 50 |
| Westmeath Community Development Ltd | 42 |
| Údarás na Gaeltachta | 512 |
| Avondhu Blackwater Partnership Ltd | 22 |
| Breffni Integrated Ltd | 105 |
| Carlow Co Development Part Ltd | 25 |
| Cill Dara ar Aghaidh Teo | 27 |
| Clare Local Dev Co Ltd | 155 |
| Co Wicklow Community Partnerhip | 25 |
| Comhar na nOileán Teo | 30 |
| County Kilkenny Leader Partnership | 20 |
| Forum Connemara Ltd | 36 |
| Laois Community & Enterprise Dev Co | 29 |
| Leitrim Integrated Dev Co Ltd | 133 |
| Louth Community Resources | 14 |
| Meath Community Rural & Social Dev | 22 |
| Monaghan Integrated Development Ltd | 73 |
| Nth & East Kerry Leader Part Teo | 102 |
| Mayo Nth East Leader Part Co Teo | 266 |
| North Tipperary Leader Partnership | 44 |
| Offaly Integrated Local Dev Co Ltd | 67 |
| Roscommon Integrated Dev Co Ltd | 177 |
| South Tipperary Development Co | 37 |
| West Cork Development Part Ltd | 84 |
| Wexford Local Development Ltd | 48 |
| Fingal Leader Partnership | 2 |
Environmental services, to include:
Caring services, to include:
General community services, to include:
Heritage and cultural services, to include:
Para-educational services, to include: