Vol. 495 No. 7
236 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of farmers who qualified for the early farm retirement scheme to date; the number of cases currently being processed; if he will confirm that the scheme will not be suspended before the year 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21163/98]
The number of successful applicants up to the end of September 1998 under the scheme of early retirement from farming are set out in the following table. There are 356 applicants being processed at present.
When the scheme was approved originally by the EU Commission it was on the basis of a projection of expenditure over the period of operation of the scheme. As a result of the success of the scheme the projected expenditure has been exceeded. My Department is in contact with the Commission with a view to put the funding in place to continue to accept applications in 1999. I am confident that the necessary funding will be provided.
|
County |
Totals |
|
Carlow |
114 |
|
Cavan |
254 |
|
Clare |
359 |
|
Cork |
1,551 |
|
Donegal |
107 |
|
Dublin |
65 |
|
Galway |
316 |
|
Kerry |
602 |
|
Kildare |
128 |
|
Kilkenny |
340 |
|
Laois |
225 |
|
Leitrim |
57 |
|
Limerick |
538 |
|
Longford |
104 |
|
Louth |
106 |
|
Mayo |
164 |
|
Meath |
251 |
|
Monaghan |
147 |
|
Offaly |
207 |
|
Roscommon |
204 |
|
Sligo |
114 |
|
Tipperary |
844 |
|
Waterford |
242 |
|
Westmeath |
194 |
|
Wexford |
611 |
|
Wicklow |
138 |
|
Total |
7,982 |
