Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

We are coming towards the end of a review of the rural social scheme. There has been very intense engagement on it. I have attended a number of workshops and had a lot of discussions with supervisors, participants and the implementing bodies involved as well. It is an amazing scheme. I have seen what it does. It not only provides services and gives an opportunity for people to engage in their community, but it is a vital tool for mental health. A lot of single men in rural Ireland with small farms rely on it as their main social outlet and they contribute hugely. It is very important that when we review the RSS that we make sure it has a future and that it helps to keep small farmers and small fishers doing what they do.

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