Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 99: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the action she intends to take to address the situation whereby ERS farmers are finding it difficult to lease land; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6775/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Participants in the scheme of early retirement from farming introduced in 1994 under Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2079/92 were required to have their holdings farmed for the duration of the pension by younger farmers who met the eligibility conditions of the scheme. In cases where the retiring farmers transferred their holdings by lease, such leases were normally for five years. If the pension had some period to run when a lease expired, the retired farmer was obliged either to renew the lease or to find another eligible transferee.

I recognise that following the introduction of the single payment scheme, and the provisions allowing farmers to consolidate their entitlements in certain circumstances, some retired farmers may face difficulties in getting their transferees to renew leases or in finding replacement transferees. My officials are in contact with the European Commission in an effort to secure arrangements that will safeguard the pensions of the retired farmers in such cases.