Vol. 556 No. 5
195 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will consider granting to farmers, who come off the Department of Agriculture and Food farm retirement scheme a full non-contributory old age pension and disregard the income from letting, in view of the dramatic income drop associated with the cessation of the retirement pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20921/02]
The farm retirement pension scheme is operated by the Department of Agriculture and Food. Under the scheme, a pension is payable, subject to conditions, to a qualifying farmer who transfers his or her land to a transferee. The transfer may be by way of gift, sale or lease. In the case of old age (non-contributory) pension and other social assistance schemes payable after the age of 66, no account is taken of income from the farm retirement pension in the assessment of means. As provided for in the EU Council regulation governing the farm retirement scheme, however, the farm retirement pension is reduced by the amount of any national retirement pension payable, such as old age contributory or non-contributory pension. When farm retirement pension ceases, old age pension continues in payment at the same rate as previously.
Where the recipient of the farm retirement pension has leased his or her land, the income from the leasing is assessed as cash income for all social assistance payments, including old age (non-contributory) pension. Any change in the current arrangements in relation to the assessment of income of a lessor of land who was a former recipient of farm retirement pension would have implications for other categories of pension recipients and could only be considered in a budgetary context and in the light of available resources.
