Vol. 511 No. 6
194 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon is only receiving payment of his farm retirement pension from 17 September 1999 in view of the fact that he applied in March 1999; the plans, if any, he has to approve back payment of this pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24929/99]
Under the terms and conditions of the scheme of early retirement from farming, payment of a pension can be authorised only from the date of receipt of a valid application. The date of receipt of a valid application is the date on which all core documentation is lodged with the local FDS office.
When the application was examined in my Department, certain essential documentation was found to be lacking and the applicant was made aware of this and asked to provide it. The last of the requested information was not sent back until 17 September and, accordingly, that was deemed to be the date of valid application.
In cases where there are major items of core documentation missing, applications are not deemed to be valid until all this documentation has been furnished. In the circumstances of this case, there are no grounds for backdating the payment of the pension to the original date of application.
