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Three-year time limit on RSS contracts unfair

December 3rd, 2016 8:50 AM

By Southern Star Team

Michael Moynihan, TD.

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Cork North West TD, Michael Moynihan, has said the decision of the Minister for Social Protection, Leo Varadkar, to place a three-year time limit on contracts under the Rural Social Scheme will leave Cork farming families under severe pressure and remove the stability that the scheme gives to low income farmers.

CORK North West TD, Michael Moynihan, has said the decision of the Minister for Social Protection, Leo Varadkar, to place a three-year time limit on contracts under the Rural Social Scheme will leave Cork farming families under severe pressure and remove the stability that the scheme gives to low income farmers.

‘The scheme was designed, in the first place, to provide security to low income families. This change is deeply regressive, and goes again the premise of the scheme. ‘The Rural Social Scheme rolls out important community services while providing additional employment to low income farmers. It has been a huge success since its introduction, providing essential community services such as care services, village enhancement, maintenance of community facilities such as football pitches, community halls and green spaces, and the development of walkways,’ added Mr Moynihan.

‘This additional income provided financial certainty for low-income farmers.  This security has now been effectively removed as a result of the Minister Varadkar’s decision to impose a three-year time limit on the contracts.  This will have serious repercussions for many farmers, across Cork, who depend on these payments to survive.

‘The means test introduced by former Minister Joan Burton has stifled farm families over the past number of years and I have repeatedly called on Minister Burton and her successor Minister Varadkar to reverse this mean cut. There are many families who only receive €20 a week for 19 hour a week.  

This is extremely unfair and places a huge financial strain on small family farms.

‘The RSS is a multi-faceted scheme – not only does it assist low income farmers financially, and deliver essential community services, it provides an important social outlet for farmers who live alone and who may feel lonely or isolated.

‘Their work within the RSS keeps them in contact with others in their community and ensures that they have a much needed social outlet at a time when mental health issues are a cause of real concern,’ concluded Michael Moynihan.

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