Vol. 500 No. 5
125 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason the reduction in the EU farm retirement pension is based on the gross pension rather than on the net pension which is actually paid to the farmer in cases where the recipient is also in receipt of a social welfare pension from the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4618/99]
Under the rules of the scheme of early retirement from farming any national retirement pensions paid to participants must be deducted from the early retirement pension. The early retirement scheme is an EU wide measure and does not take into account the various tax regimes in member states. The pension amounts used, therefore, in relation to any applications under the scheme is the amount of pension payable before any deductions for tax etc. i.e. the gross pension.
