Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 May 2006
179 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps that can be taken by an early retirement scheme participant to avoid a penalty where they transfer part of the lease holding to a family member for the construction of a house; the penalty liable in such a case for the remaining period of the scheme or for the total period of the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18981/06]
View answerParticipants in the 1994 Scheme of Early Retirement from Farming may dispose of an area of pension land up to one hectare without the requirement that it be replaced. Where the area of land in the Scheme is less than 24 hectares, or the area of land remaining after the disposal is less than 24 hectares, a reduction in pension at the rate of €301.90 per hectare is applied retrospective to the date the participant entered the Scheme.
Under the conditions of the Early Retirement (ERS2) 2000 Scheme, a participant may, subject to the agreement of his/her transferee, dispose of an area of pension land up to 2 hectares without the requirement that it be replaced, subject to the participant notifying my Department of the disposal. Irrespective of the area of land released into the Scheme, a reduction at the rate of €338.00 per hectare is applied retrospective to the participant's date of entry to the Scheme.
Under both Schemes if the area disposed of is replaced by an equal or greater area no reduction in pension is applied.
