Fine Gael Community, Rural, and Gaeltacht affairs spokesperson Michael Ring has said the Rural Social Scheme, which provides income support to those on social welfare in rural Ireland who provide services that benefit the community, must be retained.
“A question mark may hang over the future of the Department of Community, Rural, and Gaeltacht Affairs but there is no doubt but that the Rural Social Scheme should be protected. This scheme is working well for rural Ireland and it must be maintained. It provides extra allowances to rural people on social welfare who carry out important work like caretaking of community and sporting facilities, maintaining walking routes and care of older people. Whatever the Taoiseach decides to do to give his cabinet a facelift is irrelevant. I will fight to retain schemes like this that provide a real benefit to the countryside and rural people,” said the Westport based TD.
