Jimmy Deenihan
Question:22 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when the revised early farm retirement scheme will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9674/00]
Written Answers. - Farm Retirement Scheme.
Proposals for a new scheme of early retirement from farming were submitted to the European Commission in December 1999 as part of my Department's draft rural development plan for the period 2000-2006. The Commission has six months from the date of submission to consider the plan.
My Department is at present in discussion with the Commission on the contents of the draft plan and is making every effort to expedite these discussions. While it is not possible at this stage to say when the Commission's approval will be received, my objective is to have the new scheme of early retirement in place at the earliest date.
P. J. Sheehan
Question:23 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the number of farmers who have participated in the EU farm retirement scheme since its introduction; the number of farmers in each county who have participated; and the reason the agrimoney reduction of 5.05% which commenced with the introduction of the euro currency in January 1999 is being continued in 2000. [9517/00]
Since its introduction in 1994, 9,973 farmers have participated in the scheme of early retirement from farming. At present 8,854 of those are active participants. The remainder are largely accounted for by participants who have died and by those who have left the scheme because their period in it has ended. Others have been suspended or have withdrawn. The number of farmers in each county who have participated in the course of the scheme is as follows:
|
County |
Number of Participants |
|
Carlow |
154 |
|
Cavan |
322 |
|
Clare |
427 |
|
Cork |
1,975 |
|
Donegal |
138 |
|
Dublin |
75 |
|
Galway |
425 |
|
Kerry |
765 |
|
Kildare |
161 |
|
Kilkenny |
421 |
|
Laois |
272 |
|
Leitrim |
68 |
|
Limerick |
703 |
|
Longford |
126 |
|
Louth |
118 |
|
Mayo |
203 |
|
Meath |
329 |
|
Monaghan |
180 |
|
Offaly |
246 |
|
Roscommon |
252 |
|
Sligo |
154 |
|
Tipperary |
1036 |
|
Waterford |
289 |
|
Westmeath |
230 |
|
Wexford |
734 |
|
Wicklow |
170 |
The reduction of 5.05% in the rate of pension under the scheme was a permanent one resulting from the revaluation of the pound when the euro was introduced in January 1999. The Council of Ministers approved the payment of compensation over three years to participants in the schemes affected by this reduction. Full compensation was approved for losses arising in 1999 and this was paid in January of this year to the majority of those who qualified. A small number of other cases which have to be calculated individually are in the course of payment. Reduced compensation has been approved for 2000 and 2001 and arrangements for payment have yet to be confirmed.