Farmers to lose social scheme places

MORE than 200 farmers could be forced off the Rural Social Scheme later this year unless additional places are made available.

That’s according to the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association, who made the claim after a survey of the scheme.

Rural development committee chairman John O’Donnell said he believes the RSS is a crucial measure for rural Ireland.

Introduced in 2004, it provides income support to farmers currently in receipt of long-term social welfare payments.

Mr O’Donnell said a participant could now be forced to leave the scheme after three years on it to accommodate others on waiting lists.

“Although there are more than 200 on the waiting list nationally, in certain 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 single county.

“The LEADER companies interviewed confirmed to the ICMSA that they have stopped recruiting participants for the RSS to avoid increasing the waiting list.”

He said the RSS has become crucial for the 2,600 families — over 70% of whom are in the west of the country — participating in it. Earnings from it now make up a large proportion of their 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,” he said.