Dan Neville
Question:100 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a farm retirement pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [22127/99]
Written Answers. - Farm Retirement Scheme.
It is a condition of this scheme that if the transferor, or any of the persons who were jointly involved in the management of the agricultural holding at the time of application, qualifies for a national retirement pension which must be applied for on reaching 66 years of age then the EU early retirement from farming pension will be reduced by this amount.
The person named was deemed to be jointly managing the holding with her spouse. Her spouse was over 66 years of age at the time of application. My Department wrote to her early last month seeking confirmation of her spouse's entitlement to an old age pension. Until this confirmation is received payment of her early retirement pension cannot issue. However, on receipt of this confirmation her early retirement pension will be paid with arrears from 7 October 1998 the date of valid application.