asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will reintroduce the Farm Retirement Scheme for farmers over 55 years of age and combine that with an extension of the Farm Installation Aid to young farmers who would be prepared to lease land which would become available.
Written Answers. - Farm Retirement Scheme.
32.
The Council of Ministers recently agreed on a new measure aimed at encouraging retirement by farmers aged 55 years and over. It will be a matter for each member state to decide whether or not to implement the measure. No decision has yet been taken about the possible implementation of this measure here.
As regards installation aid for young farmers, the approach adopted has been that the premium would be paid only where ownership of the land was transferred to the applicant. It is proposed to continue with this arrangement.
33.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will allow the applications of all the young farmers who are eligible for the installation grant in 1987 in retrospect, now that it has been reintroduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
48.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if those who were in the process of qualifying for the installation aid grant when the scheme was terminated a year ago, will now be considered eligible for the recently reintroduced scheme.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 48 together.
It is my intention that installation aid under the revised scheme should be back-dated to 1 April 1987. An otherwise eligible applicant who was rejected under the original scheme because the transfer of the farm had not been completed when the scheme was terminated on 31 March 1987 may be considered under the new arrangements.