Vol. 542 No. 4
111 Mr. Kirk asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will ask the European Union for permission to modify the early retirement from farming scheme to allow farmers retire at 50 years of age with the pension payment period expiring at age 65; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24677/01]
Article 11(1) of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1257/1999 – the regulation governing the operation of the early retirement scheme – stipulates that the transferor of a farm must "be not less than 55 years old but not yet of normal retirement age at the time of transfer". A change in the age threshold would require the adoption of a new Council regulation. I have no plans to make such a proposal.
