Vol. 516 No. 5
183 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the terms of the new farm retirement scheme; the qualification requirements and guidelines; when they will be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8602/00]
A new scheme of early retirement from farming was submitted to the European Commission in December 1999 as part of my Department's draft rural development plan for the period 2000-06. The commission has six months from the date of submission to consider the plan.
Until the commission has approved the plan it is not possible to state what the terms and conditions of the new scheme will be. Accordingly, I cannot confirm the eligibility criteria for the proposed new scheme.
