John McGuinness
Question:265 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will take steps to ensure that all farm retirement pensions are index linked; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22421/04]
View answerWednesday, 29 September 2004
Questions (83)
Written answers
The rate of pension payable under the 1994 scheme of early retirement from farming is the maximum provided for by the EU Council regulation under which the scheme was introduced. The regulation does not provide for indexation of payments.
My Department's proposals for the current early retirement scheme, which commenced on 27 November 2000 and is one of the measures in the CAP rural development plan for the period 2000-06, included provision for annual increases in pension over the period of the plan. The European Commission rejected this proposal and insisted on legal grounds that a fixed rate be set instead.