Donal Moynihan
Question:38 Mr. D. Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when the new early retirement scheme will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17683/00]
Written Answers. - Farm Retirement Scheme.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:39 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the current position in relation to the proposed new farm retirement pension; if final details have been agreed with the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17761/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 39 together.
Ireland's CAP rural development plan for the period 2000-06 was submitted to the European Commission at the end of December last. This plan covers early retirement along with REPS, compensatory allowances and forestry.
Negotiations with the Commission are taking place on the plan as a whole, and the entire plan will have to be approved before any of the four individual measures can commence. These negotiations are now in their final stage. However once they are complete, there is a standard for mal procedure for approval of all plans that has to take place and by its nature this exercise involves a considerable amount of detail and documentation. It is my objective to ensure that approval is forthcoming in the shortest possible time but it is too early at this stage to give any concrete dates for the likely commencement of the new early retirement scheme.
While I am hopeful that the various proposals in the rural development plan will get the approval of the Commission, until the Commission's final decision is available I cannot say categorically what the terms and conditions will be.
Paul Connaughton
Question:40 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if a person, who is currently in receipt of the EU farm retirement pension scheme, can, on the expiry of a five year lease with a neighbour, go back farming on her own account; and if she can sell the land to whoever she likes should she decide to dispose of it. [17714/00]
When a person applies for a pension under the scheme of early retirement from farming, he or she undertakes to cease all commercial farming activity definitively. The transferee or transferees undertake to farm the transferred and enlarged holding as a main occupation for the full period during which the pension is payable. In return the Department undertakes to pay the pension for a period of ten years or until the transferor's 70th birthday, whichever is the sooner.
If a participant returns to commercial farming at any time, he or she must refund all payments received under the scheme from the outset. If he or she wishes to dispose of the holding to a person other than the approved transferee, it may be disposed of only with my Department's prior consent and only to a replacement transferee who also meets the requirements of the scheme. If the transferred holding is not farmed in accordance with the requirements of the scheme for the full period during which the pension is payable to the transferor, then all payments made under the scheme from the outset must be refunded to my Department.
Once a transferor has completed his or her term in the scheme, he or she is free to dispose of the holding but may not return to commercial farming at any time.