Vol. 553 No. 2
180 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the position regarding an application for the EU farm retirement pension scheme by a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13488/02]
The application for the person named was resubmitted on 10 June 2002, having previously been rejected because of deficiencies. It is now being processed in accordance with the targets set out in the Protocol on Direct Payments to Farmers and the person named will be notified of the outcome as soon as processing is complete.
181 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if his attention has been drawn to the grave discontent by many participants in the EU farm retirement pension schemes, who have been asked to repay money due to the fact the combined total of the old age pension was higher than the retirement pension scheme; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that many such farmers would never have joined the scheme had they known that this was going to happen; if his attention has further been drawn to the great discontent there is amongst retired farmers due to the fact that the pension is not index linked; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13489/02]
It is a requirement of the Council regulations governing both the 1994 early retirement scheme and the scheme introduced in 2000 that the early retirement pension is paid as a supplement to any national retirement pension to which the participant in the scheme is, or becomes, entitled. Consequently the amount of any national retirement pension must be deducted from the early retirement pension. This requirement was set out in both schemes. The attention of applicants was further drawn to it in the guidelines which my Department published to accompany the 1994 scheme, and it is also highlighted in the introduction to the new scheme document. As the matter is the subject of a specific provision in the relevant EU Council Regulations, it is not one in which my Department has discretion.
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. As regards the current scheme which commenced in November 2000, and which forms part of the CAP rural development plan for the period 2000-2006, my Department's proposals to the EU Commission included provision for annual increases in pension over the period of the plan. The Commission rejected this proposal and insisted that a fixed rate be set instead. My Department then proposed a rate that was the average of the scale initially proposed. This was acceptable to the Commission and is the rate provided for in the new scheme.
