Written Answers. - Farm Retirement Scheme.
Matt Brennan
Ceist:
31
Mr. M. Brennan
asked the
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development
when the additional condition for eligibility for the farm retirement pension scheme and the off-farm income criteria will be amended; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22332/99]
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:
44
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development
the degree to which his Department is up to date in respect of processing farm retirement grant applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22472/99]
Pat Rabbitte
Ceist:
46
Mr. Rabbitte
asked the
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development
when EU Commission approval will be granted to amend the eligibility criteria for participation in the early retirement from farming scheme in particular relating to the enlargement clause and the 50 per cent off-farm income rule; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22433/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 31, 44 and 46 together.
The rural development regulation which was adopted by the Agriculture Council on May 17 this year as part of the Agenda 2000 agreement provides for continued support for early retire ment from farming. I welcome the fact that, unlike the 1992 regulation under which the existing early retirement scheme was drawn up, the new regulation does not require a transferee to enlarge the holding which is taken over. I have been conscious that the existing requirement has proved onerous in many cases. The new regulation instead includes a viability clause applicable to the transferred holding. It also requires the transferee to practise farming on the transferred holding, but unlike the 1992 regulation it does not specifically state that he or she must do so as a main occupation.
My Department is at present preparing an integrated rural development plan with a view to implementing the new regulation, and the terms and conditions which will apply to the future early retirement scheme are being considered in the context of that plan. I expect my Department's proposals for the integrated rural development plan to be submitted to the European Commission before the end of the year. The Commission is required to approve the plan within six months of the date of submission.
In so far as processing of current early retirement grant applications is concerned the position is that the number of applications varies from one area to another. Factors such as human resources and other pressing demands on the relevant staff can result in variations in processing time, though every effort is made to ensure that all applications are dealt with in a timely manner.
There are 39 RDE inspectors, located throughout the country, involved in the processing of early retirement applications, together with seven regional inspectors. In addition to this work, these officials are also involved in the processing of REPS and young farmer installation aid applications, along with the Leader programme. The steady growth in the number of applicants for the early retirement scheme and these other measures since their introduction, while it is most welcome and indicates their attractiveness to the farming community, has placed significant burdens on the resources available. With regard to the early retirement scheme, my Department is keeping its procedures and the allocation of its resources under review with a view to minimising unnecessary delays.
While my Department seeks to minimise delays in processing applications under the scheme, it has taken steps to ensure that such delays do not result in a financial loss to retiring farmers. The operational procedures for the scheme specifically ensure that the date of receipt in the Department of a valid application determines the date from which payment is made.
