This programme allows low-income farmers and fishers who are unable to earn an adequate living from their holding/fishing, to earn a supplementary income. The scheme in Wexford is managed by Wexford Local Development on behalf of the Department of Social Protection, which has overall responsibility for the scheme.

Participants work 19 ½ hours per week and if eligible, new participants are offered a contract from their start date up to the following 31 March. Pending eligibility, contracts then renew every three years.

In January 2026, the top-up payment for people on the Rural Social Scheme will increase by €5, from €27.50 to €32.50 per week. This is in addition to an increase of €10 for most weekly social welfare payments.

Wexford Local Development will match the skills of the applicant to suitable placements available within the community. The working week comprises 19.5 hours on an agreed basis but with built-in flexibility to suit a farmer or fisher-friendly schedule. This ensures that participation on the scheme does not affect your farming or fishing activities.

Eligible Work

In general, most of the work carried out within the community and voluntary sectors can be considered eligible for RSS and this may include but is not limited to:

• Environmental services (including environmental maintenance, energy conservation, recycling and repair)
• Caring services (including social care, childcare, visitation and befriending services)
• General community services (including administration, caretaking, animal care, community research, retail and promotion)
• Heritage and cultural services (including administration, staffing, promotion and development)
• Para Educational Services (Non-teaching support roles such as administration, caretaking, early years and afterschool support in non fee paying schools)

How to qualify

To participate in RSS, you must:

Be 25 years or over and getting Farm Assist,

OR

Be actively farming or fishing and getting one of the following social welfare payments:

• Jobseekers Allowance
• Jobseekers Transitional Payment
• Disability Allowance
• One-Parent Family Payment
• Bereaved Partner’s Contributory Pension or Bereaved 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)

For information on all of the above and specific qualifying criteria for Farmers and Fishers, please follow the link below.

Rural Social Scheme

You may also contact one of the Supervisor for your area: