Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 Jan 2001

Vol. 529 No. 1

Written Answers. - Farm Retirement Scheme.

Michael Noonan

Question:

420 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will accede to a request made by a person (details supplied) in County Limerick who is a beneficiary under the early retirement from farming scheme to be allowed to substitute approximately nine acres of land which are now included in the scheme for a portion of land of similar acreage in his ownership which was not included in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1850/01]

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

Before he entered the scheme, the person named had leased some of his lands to another farmer who was not an eligible transferee for the purposes of the scheme. He used the remainder of his lands to form the basis of his application and was accepted into the scheme on those lands. He now wishes to replace a portion of the pension lands with an equal area taken from the lands he had leased to the ineligible transferee.

This is not permissible under the terms of the scheme. Lands disposed of before entry into the scheme are classified as "sanitised" and cannot subsequently be used for pension purposes. Accordingly, my Department is not in a position to approve the transfer of nine acres of land which are now included in the scheme unless it is replaced by an equal or greater amount of utilisable agricultural area, UAA, which is not sanitised land.