Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 28 Mar 1995

Vol. 451 No. 2

Written Answers. - Farm Retirement Scheme.

Liam Hyland

Question:

125 Mr. Hyland asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will make provision for the owners of glasshouses and other intensive horticultural and agricultural projects to qualify under the farm retirement scheme in view of the fact that in many cases the owners do not meet the land area requirement for qualification. [6367/95]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. Yates)

I am not in a position to make such a provision because the European Commission approved this scheme on the strict condition that the minimum area to be transferred by a retiring farmer must be five hectares of utilisable agriculture area, UAA, and that the transferred farm be enlarged by a minimum of five hectares of UAA.