RSS recipients asked to make declaration of means
Minister Joan Burton said participants are required to confirm their continuing eligibility for the scheme which pays for 19.5 hours of work per week by farmers and fishermen and fisherwomen in receipt of certain social protection payments.
Coaching national school children, village and countryside enhancement, care of the elderly and preschool and child care groups are among the 2,600 participants’ work in rural communities. The RSS is delivered through 35 local development companies across the country and by Údaras na Gaeltachta.
Ms Burton confirmed that her Department requested at the end of February that each participant make a declaration of means , by Monday, March 21, in advance of the annual review of contracts for the scheme. She said last Tuesday the Department estimated that about 2,000 declarations, three quarters of the number expected, were received. “Those whose means confer entitlement under the various social welfare payments that provide access to the RSS will have these entitlements confirmed by this exercise. Where a person’s means indicate no further entitlement, he or she will have the right to have any decision of the Department in respect of his or her continued engagement on the scheme independently reviewed,” said Minister Burton. “In the event that a declaration is not returned, the Department will not be in a position to authorise the RSS implementing bodies to offer a renewal of a contract.”
“While it is not intended that each participant will remain on the scheme indefinitely, there is no definite time limit for participation once the underlying eligibility for social protection payments exists,” said the minister.
Co Mayo has the largest participation rate with 547 participants, and Mayo TD John O’Mahony (Fine Gael). He said he attended a public meeting of 170 RSS participants where there was outrage at the short notice and the cynical approach taken. He said many RSS participants were promised they would be able to remain in the scheme until they were 65, provided they continued farming, and there was no mention of means testing.
Maximum RSS weekly payments are €208 for a participant without adult dependant; €332.80 for a participant with adult dependant; and €29.80 for each child dependant.
