Vol. 492 No. 1
99 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food whether his Department approved farm retirement pensions where the leasee of the farm in question was at college; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13721/98]
The terms and conditions of the scheme of early retirement from farming require the prospective transferee to practise farming as a main occupation when he or she takes over the operation and management of the farm which is the subject of the pension.
According to the records in my Department no pension was approved on any occasion where the proposed transferee was attending a full time course of education at the time the application was being examined as this would have conflicted with the terms and conditions of the scheme.
100 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the regulation which debars a farmer, who is also a student, from being an eligible leasee for farm retirement pension purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13722/98]
The regulation and the terms and conditions of the scheme of early retirement from farming provide certain conditions among which is that a transferee must undertake to practise farming as a main occupation. Therefore, by implication, a student pursuing a full-time educational course would not be eligible as a transferee and in this regard I would direct the Deputy to the reply in the Adjournment debate of 10 March 1998. A student engaged in a part-time course or on a distance learning programme would be eligible as a transferee provided all other qualifying conditions are met.
