Paul Connaughton
Question:58 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the submission by his Department to the European Commission in respect of the new farm retirement pension scheme. [26446/99]
Written Answers. - Farm Retirement Scheme.
A new scheme of early retirement from farming is being prepared in my Department for submission to the European Commission as part of a rural development plan for the period 2000-06. The new scheme is being drawn up in accordance with the terms of EU Council Regulation 1257-99 on support for rural development.
The plan must be submitted to the Commission by 4 January 2000 and the Commission will then have six months to approve it, though I will be pressing for approval at the earliest possible date. Until the plan has been approved by the Commission, it is not possible to state categorically what the terms of the new early retirement scheme will be. However, my Department's proposals will take account of the fact that the council regulation, unlike the regulation on which the present scheme is based, does not include the requirement that both the transferor and the transferee be engaged in farming as a main occupation and that the transferee enlarge the holding. I am aware that these requirements had discouraged some farmers from taking part in the existing scheme and I am glad that my efforts to have them changed were successful.