Vol. 509 No. 6
226 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo was denied an early retirement pension from farming due to delays in processing by his Department; the reason the pension has been cut by 5 per cent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21309/99]
Under the terms and conditions of the scheme of early retirement from farming, payment of a pension can only be authorised from the date of receipt of a valid application. The date of receipt of a valid application is the date on which all core documentation is lodged with the local farm development service office.
In this case, the application for the person named was lodged in the local farm development service office on December 20 1995. On examination of the file a query arose. The officer examining the file wrote to the applicant's solicitors requesting further details in relation to this query. The requested information was sent back to the Department's inspector on 15 January 1996 and this date therefore is deemed to be the date of valid application. In the circumstances, there are no grounds for backdating the payment of the pension to the original date of application.
Payments under the scheme were reduced by approximately 5.055 per cent when the Irish Punt was revalued against the EURO on 1 January this year. The Council of EU Ministers have agreed that full compensation, with 100 per cent funding by the EU, will be payable for the reduction in 1999 pensions to participants who joined the scheme prior to 1998. Approval of the EU Commission is necessary before compensation will be paid. It is hoped that the Commission will give the necessary approval by the end of November, and once such a decision is received payment will issue as soon as possible. Two further tranches of compensation at reduced levels will be paid.
