Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 March 2004
125 Mr. N. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason deductions are being made from the farm retirement pension of a person (details supplied) in respect of a social welfare pension when the person is not currently in receipt of a social welfare pension. [8725/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named is a participant in the 1994 early retirement scheme introduced under EU Council Regulation 2079/92, which she entered in joint management with her husband. It is a requirement of the Council regulation that any national retirement pension to which a scheme participant and his or her spouse or partner in a joint management situation becomes entitled must be deducted from the early retirement pension. The husband of the person named is in receipt of a non-contributory old age pension and this is being deducted from the early retirement pension. His pension was increased with effect from January in line with the changes announced in the 2004 budget and the amount of this increase was deducted from the early retirement pension.
