Jim Higgins
Ceist:127 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when application forms will be available for the farm retirement scheme.
Written Answers. - Farm Retirement Scheme.
Application forms and information leaflets for the early retirement scheme for farmers will be available when the scheme has been formally approved by the EU Commission. That approval is now likely to be forthcoming early in the New Year. I had hoped that approval would have been obtained before Christmas but the process necessary for approval within the Commission has taken longer than expected.