Vol. 547 No. 1
308 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if his attention has been drawn to the concern being expressed by persons (details supplied) who are either in the EU retirement pension scheme or are about to enter the scheme; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that this is a constraint on the numbers applying for the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1909/02]
In its proposals for the present early retirement scheme which commenced in November 2000, my Department had made provision for annual increases in the rate of pension. However, the European Commission rejected this proposal and insisted that a fixed rate be set for the full period of the CAP Rural Development Plan 2000-2006.
Almost 1,000 applications for the present scheme have now been received and this is roughly in line with projections.
The rate of pension payable under the 1994 early retirement scheme is the maximum provided for in the EU Council regulation under which the scheme was introduced. The regulation does not provide for indexation of payments.
309 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if an application by a person (details supplied) in County Galway for the farm retirement pension scheme is correct; when the file will be processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1910/02]
The application by the person named for the early retirement pension was received in my Department on 24 December 2001 and is currently being processed. The person named will be notified of the outcome when processing is complete. The protocol on direct payments to farmers sets a target of 12 weeks for the processing of a valid application to the stage of scheduling for payment if the case is selected for pre-payment inspection, and ten weeks if it is not selected.
