Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 394: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the position regarding renewal payment of farm retirement pension for a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [27142/04]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person named is a participant in the 1994 early retirement scheme introduced under EU Council Regulation 2079 (1992), 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 arrangement — becomes entitled must be deducted from the early retirement pension.

My Department was recently informed that the husband of the person named has been awarded a contributory old age pension with effect from 15 March 2002. As required under the early retirement scheme, the amount of his old age pension must be deducted from her early retirement pension and amounts overpaid must be refunded to my Department. My Department has notified the person named of the overpayment and will be in touch with her further as soon as the extent of the debt has been established. The restoration of the early retirement pension will be considered once issues relating to the debt have been satisfactorily resolved.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 395: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary will be considered for[i] force majeure[/i]. [27192/04]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person named has been notified that the circumstances outlined in his single payment scheme application does not satisfy the criteria for force majeure or exceptional circumstances under article 40 of Council Regulation 1782 (2003). Following this decision the person named submitted an appeal to the independent single payment appeals committee. A full review of the circumstances of the case will be carried out by the independent single payment appeals committee and the person named will be notified shortly of the outcome.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 396: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary will be considered for [i]force majeure[/i]. [27193/04]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person named has been notified that the circumstances outlined do not satisfy the criteria for force majeure or exceptional circumstances under article 40 of Council Regulation 1782 (2003) and has been advised to apply under the new entrant — inheritance measure of the scheme. To date, no application has been received for consideration under the new entrant — inheritance measure from the person named.

The person named has also been advised that he can appeal my Department's decision to the independent single payment appeals committee which will carry out a full review of the circumstances of his case.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 397: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary will be considered for [i]force majeure[/i]. [27194/04]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person named has been notified that the circumstances outlined in his single payment scheme application did not satisfy the criteria for force majeure— exceptional circumstances under article 40 of Council Regulation 1782 (2003).

Following this decision the person named submitted an appeal to the independent single payment appeals committee. A full review of the circumstances of the case will be carried out by the independent single payment appeals committee and the person named will be notified shortly of the outcome.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 398: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary will be considered for [i]force majeure[/i]. [27195/04]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person named has been notified that the circumstances outlined do not satisfy the criteria for force majeure— exceptional circumstances under article 40 of Council Regulation 1782 (2003) and has been advised to apply under the new entrant — inheritance measure of the single payment scheme.

The person named has been advised that he can appeal my Department's decision to the independent single payment appeals committee who will carry out a full review of the circumstances of his case. Processing of applications for consideration under the new entrants measure of the scheme is ongoing and the person named will be notified shortly of the decision on his application.