Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 10 Jun 2003

Vol. 568 No. 1

Written Answers. - Farm Retirement Scheme.

Ned O'Keeffe

Question:

246 Mr. N. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if full payment to a person (details supplied) in County Cork under the scheme of early retirement from farming will be reinstated in view of the fact that this person is not in receipt of a pension from the Department of Social and Family Affairs; and if her attention has been drawn to the fact that this person's pension has been reduced on the grounds that they have such a pension from that Department. [15545/03]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

The person named is a participant in the 1994 early retirement scheme introduced under EU Council Regulation 2079/92, which she entered in joint management with her husband.

It is a requirement of the Council regulation that any national retirement pension to which a scheme participant, and his or her spouse or partner in a joint management situation, becomes entitled, must be deducted from the early retirement pension. The husband of the person named is in receipt of a contributory old age pension, and in accordance with the regulation this must be deducted from her early retirement pension.