Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 January 2005
680 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if her attention has been drawn to the circumstances of a person (details supplied) in County Sligo; if their established entitlements will be activated first; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2079/05]
View answerThe person named is a participant in the early retirement scheme for farmers since 2002. She was farming during the reference period and drew down livestock premia payments during the three reference years, 2000, 2001 and 2002. Accordingly, there will be entitlements established for her.
Farmers, including early retirement scheme participants, who have leased out or are intending to lease out their lands before the closing date for receipt of forms under the 2005 single payment scheme may also lease out their entitlements with the land to the same farmer. This provision was specifically obtained during negotiations by Ireland to accommodate early retirement scheme participants.
A lease agreement which is in place by the closing date for receipt of applications for the single payment in 2005 may be considered as the lease of the entitlements with land, to the same farmer, if a clause is included in the lease agreement indicating that the farmer intends to lease with the land, the payment entitlements to be established — the number of entitlements may not be higher than the number of hectares leased or being leased; the lessor must apply to establish the entitlements, on a special form to be provided, and attach a copy of the lease agreement; and the lessee is required to apply for the single payment and attach a copy of the lease agreement to the application.
On expiry of the lease contract, the entitlements will revert to the lessor who may use them himself or herself or he or she may renew the existing lease contract or continue to lease them with the land to another farmer. However, since the person named in this case is a participant in the early retirement scheme, she will be precluded from using the entitlements because of her obligations under that scheme but she may continue to lease them out with the land to another lessee.
