Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Jun 2000

Vol. 522 No. 2

Written Answers. - Farm Retirement Scheme.

Paul McGrath

Question:

142 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when the new farm retirement scheme regulations will be announced; and the provision he has made to accommodate participants who want to take up this scheme in the near future and may not be able to comply with the age requirement in a few months' time because of the long delay in bringing it on stream. [17936/00]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

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 formal 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.

The existing early retirement scheme was closed to new applicants on 31 December last. I am aware that a number of farmers have transferred their holdings since then and have not had an opportunity to apply for the scheme. I have proposed to the Commission that those who retired since 31 December will be eligible to apply for the new scheme.

While I am hopeful that this and the other 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.