Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 1 May 2001

Vol. 535 No. 1

Written Answers - Farm Retirement Scheme.

Michael Ring

Question:

214 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will consider lifting the restriction on transferees participating in the old farm retirement scheme to allow them to work full-time, rather than part-time in view of the current crisis in farming. [11784/01]

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

The requirement that a farming transferee must practise farming as a main occupation is set down by Council Regulation (EEC) 2079/92 under which the 1994 scheme of early retirement from farming was introduced. My Department has no discretion to alter this requirement.