Rural Social Scheme (RSS) in County Waterford

What is the Rural Social Scheme (RSS)?

The Rural Social Scheme provides a supplementary income for low-income farmers and fishermen/women who are unable to earn an adequate living.

Eligibility

To qualify for the scheme, you must be receiving a qualifying social welfare payment.

What Participants Do

In return, participants provide services that benefit rural communities, helping to maintain and enhance local resources.

Working Hours

• 19.5 hours per week
• Hours are scheduled to be farmer- and fisher-friendly, ensuring participation does not interfere with farming or fishing activities.

Contract Details

• If you secure a place on the scheme, you will receive a contract from your start date up to the following 31 March.
• You may be considered for a further term after the initial contract if you continue to meet all eligibility criteria.

How to Apply

Please contact christine.rossi@wlp.ie for further information on the scheme and to check your eligibility.

How to Qualify

To participate in the Rural Social Scheme (RSS), you must:

• Be 25 years or over
• Be receiving one of the following qualifying social welfare payments:
  • Farm Assist
  • Or, if you are actively farming or fishing, you may qualify if you are getting:
    • Jobseeker’s Allowance
    • Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment
    • Disability Allowance
    • One-Parent Family Payment
    • Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension
    • Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Non-contributory) Pension
    • Increase for a qualified adult under 66 years of age as part of your spouse, cohabitant or civil partner’s State Pension (Non-contributory)

Note: You can retain your medical card while participating in the RSS.

Actively Farming or Fishing Criteria

For Farmers

• Provide proof you are actively farming by submitting a copy of your Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) application for the current year, including a valid herd number.
• If you have not applied for BISS, contact christine.rossi@wlp.ie for advice.

For Children or Siblings of a Farmer

• If you are a child or sibling of a herd number owner, resident and/or working on the farm, and receiving a qualifying social welfare payment, you may be eligible based on your parent’s or sibling’s herd number.

For Spouses, Civil Partners or Cohabitants

• If you are eligible but do not wish to participate, your dependent spouse, civil partner or cohabitant can take the available place.
• Alternatively, if your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is receiving a qualifying payment and actively farming, they can use your herd number to qualify.
• They can also participate if under 66 and you are receiving a State Pension (Non-contributory) with an increase for a qualified adult.

For Fishermen/Women

You must meet one of the following:

• Self-employed on a registered fishing boat
• Holder of a pot fishing licence
• Holder of a commercial salmon fishing licence from Inland Fisheries Ireland
• Holder of a dredging licence for shellfish from Inland Fisheries Ireland
• Holder of an aquaculture licence
• Permit holder for shell fishing issued by a registered cooperative

Spouses, civil partners or cohabitants of fishermen/women can also qualify under similar conditions as above.

Rates of Payment

• Minimum weekly payment: €271.50
• Payment depends on your qualifying social welfare payment:
  • Jobseeker’s Allowance or Farm Assist: €244 + €27.50 top-up
  • One-Parent Family Payment: €244 + €27.50 top-up
  • Disability Allowance: €244 + €27.50 top-up
  • Widow’s/Widower’s Pension: Continue to receive pension + top-up (minimum €271.50)
  • Qualified adult on State Pension: Rate equals difference between your increase and €271.50

PRSI: A Class A social insurance contribution is paid on your behalf.
USC: Not applicable.
Tax: Income is taxable; contact Revenue Commissioners for details.

Changes to Circumstances

If your household circumstances change (e.g., a dependent gets a job), inform christine.rossi@wlp.ie immediately to avoid overpayments.

Operational Guidelines & Reports

• https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/operational-guidelines-rural-social-scheme/
• https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/report-on-review-of-rural-social-scheme/

Work Carried Out by RSS Participants

• Maintaining and enhancing walking routes and bog roads
• Energy conservation for older people and those at risk of poverty
• Village and countryside enhancement projects
• Social care and care of older people
• Community care for pre-school and after-school groups
• Environmental maintenance and caretaking of community/sporting facilities
• Cultural and heritage projects
• Community administration or clerical work
• Other appropriate community-based projects

For further details, visit:

• https://www.gov.ie/en/service/rural-social-scheme/