The rural social scheme: Changing lives for the better

By Kay Kevlihan

Sometimes the essence of an initiative is hidden behind a title. That is true of the Rural Social Scheme, which in four short years has made a positive impact on the lives of people in farming and in their local communities. It's a real gem.

Let me first explain what the Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is. It is a work initiative that enables low-income farmers who are in receipt of a Social Welfare payment, or their spouses, to work 19.5 hours each week within their local communities. It is farmer-friendly - in other words, farmers can negotiate their working hours to suit whatever is happening on the farm. It provides an income of not less than €210 each week, but, with dependants, it could be much more. A PRSI contribution ensures that participants qualify for Social Welfare benefits, including pension.

That is the bones of it, but the reality goes beyond that. This scheme, launched in 2004 by Minister Éamon Ó Cuív, is changing the lives of people. It not alone provides farmers with additional income but it is improving the social fabric and facilitating the development of rural areas. It has the capacity to reinvigorate communities, to bring people together to actively change things for the better while combating isolation and loneliness. It does all of this with a noticeable lack of red tape so things get done quickly and efficiently and at very little cost.

I recently travelled to Newport, Co Mayo, to meet three farmers who have been working with the RSS developing the Burrishoole loop walks. These walks cover 111km and are graded from the shortest at 3km to the longest at 16km with the loops creating options to veer from one route to another. Tourism has dipped in the area in recent years but the addition of this new series of graded walks is already attracting attention from walkers and cyclists at home and abroad.

RSS Supervisor Frank Mulcrone, who overseas a variety of projects including the Burrishoole loop walks, explained: "We started upgrading the Western Way walking route and then the communities of Mulranny, Tiernaur, Derradda and Newport came together and decided that there were a number of old roads suitable for loop walks in the Burrishoole Parish area. The walks, at the foot of the Nephin Mountains overlooking Clew Bay, were surveyed, structures were looked at and it got rolling."

Drainage was a big issue as flooding down through the years had caused extensive erosion, particularly of the many bog roads. Roads needed to be upgraded, drainage put in place, walls, gates and stiles erected and, finally, map boards and signposts had to be strategically placed for walkers.

A costly exercise to do a really good upgrade, one would think, but that is the beauty of the RSS. Local farmers who had joined the RSS had all the skills necessary. They also had a tremendous interest and commitment to creating something they and their community could be proud of. They had grown up in the area, are actively farming and are all shareholders in commonage in some sections of the Nephin Mountains.

Walking the walk

In brilliant sunshine at the foot of the Nephin Mountains, I met three of the four-farmer team directly involved in developing these walks: Francis Cusack, Bertie Carmichael and Michael Conway - all sheep farmers from the area. Along with supervisor Frank Mulcrone, we set off from the Derradda Community Centre, formerly a national school, and the starting point of the Derradda loop walk.

From the illustrated map erected on the wall outside the community centre to the colour coded signposts, this was a walker's dream. Around every corner was a different view of the island-scattered bay glistening in the sun and the surrounding countryside coming to life after the winter. Local stone was used for seating in the most scenic spots, stiles were easy to manoeuver and the roads comfortable to walk or cycle on.

No outsider could have brought these walks to life in the same way as these local men who know the "seed, breed and generation" of every deserted house we passed. The ruins of "Fiddler Doherty's cottage" was a musical hub for previous generations where a love of traditional music and dance was fostered among local youngsters and still exists.

I was very impressed by a spring well that, again through their local knowledge, the team of farmers re-discovered, cleaned up and revamped with a natural stone covering. A jug hanging on a hook at the well provides walkers with a refreshing cold drink while they take a breather and admire the scenery perched on the matching stone seat a few yards away.

And this aspect of utilising local knowledge is one of the unique features of the RSS - ideas or projects such as resurrecting the well or replacing gates and pillars can come from the RSS workers themselves and if they are worthwhile, funding and material are supplied from RSS capital and materials funding.

The work these farmers have done is impressive. Their skills, passion for their local area and its heritage, and pride in their work is evident. The RSS has responded to the needs of the community and provided farmers with a regular income and a showcase for their talents. It has greatly improved access to the area and provided the local economy with a high-caliber tourism amenity.

"I see the benefit to the community."

Cattle and sheep farmer Francis Cusack feels he was lucky to get on the RSS two years ago and says he is very proud of what he and his co-workers have achieved.

"We are very proud to think that we had an area that was practically dead and now with the help of our work it is coming back to life."

Francis farms in a Special Area of Conservation, which meant his sheep flock dropped by 70%. He joined the RSS because he wasn't able to make enough money out of farming to have a comfortable life. "I take pride in the work we have done here and to be able to achieve something on this scale is tremendous. When I drive along I see the benefit to the community of the roads, the drains, the stiles and gates compared to what it was 10 years ago."

"We take great pridev in what we do."

Bertie Carmichael spent 12 years up to 1973 in the construction industry in England. He returned to the farm in Derradda where he keeps suckler cows and sheep. He has been on RSS for three years and loves it.

"We take great pride in what we do in our own area. When we started there were potholes and rushes growing in the middle of the roads. That has all changed and people are delighted to be able to drive their cars there now. We're all well able and we know what is needed and any hikers we meet remark on how well the walks are marked. You just cannot go the wrong way.

"The income I get from RSS is becoming more important every year. What is also important to me at this stage in life is that the PRSI contribution will give me a pension.

"It's a brilliant scheme."

Sheep farmer Michael Conway from Tiernaur also worked in the building trade in England and on his return nine years ago he worked on a FÁS scheme in Louisburgh but he didn't have the flexibility then that the RSS gives him.

"With RSS I am no more than half an hour from my house at any stage and that is very useful. I'm also delighted with the regular income I get from RSS which is very important." Michael is glad to be contributing to a project that is of benefit to the local community and is opening up the area for tourism.

"I also appreciate the social element involved in working with the lads, meeting them every day and knowing what's going on. It's a brilliant scheme."