Vol. 510 No. 4
102 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when compensation on a pension under the early retirement from farming scheme will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22772/99]
The Council of Ministers has agreed that compensation will be paid over the next three years to participants in the schemes affected by reductions arising from the introduction of the euro.
In so far as the scheme of early retirement from farming is concerned, 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.
103 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when compensation will be paid to farmers who experienced a reduction in their early farm retirement pension following the introduction of the euro; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22771/99]
The Council of Ministers has agreed that compensation will be paid over the next three years to participants in the schemes affected by reductions arising from the introduction of the euro.
In so far as the scheme of early retirement from farming is concerned, 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.
104 Mr. M. Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when an early farm retirement pension will be paid in full to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry. [22773/99]
As the spouse of the person named was receiving an old age pension, that amount was deducted from the pension payable under the early retirement scheme. The spouse died on 28 June 1999 and the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs continued to pay the old age pension to the survivor for a further six weeks, until 12 August 1999. The person named is entitled to the restoration of pension under the early retirement pension from that date. This adjustment will be made in the November 1999 payment.
