Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 396: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person is not entitled to the full benefit from their farm retirement pension and the contributory old age pension; the value of social welfare pensions stopped from farm retirement pensions in 2004; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8983/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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It is a requirement of EU Council Regulations 2079/92 and 1257/99 under which the 1994 and 2000 early retirement schemes were introduced that the early retirement pension can be paid only as a supplement to any national retirement pension that the participant and his or her spouse or partner in a joint management arrangement receive. This means that the value of any national retirement pension payable must be deducted from the early retirement pension.

In 2004 €30 million was deducted from early retirement scheme payments in respect of participants' entitlements to national retirement pensions.