Written answers

Tuesday, 4 October 2005

Department of Agriculture and Food

Farm Retirement Scheme

9:00 pm

Photo of Seymour CrawfordSeymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 147: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if it is the Government's decision or that of the EU to bring to an end the EU early retirement scheme here; her views on whether it would be in the best long-term interest of young farmers to improve the structure of the scheme and make it more attractive for older farmers to apply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26311/05]

Photo of Mary CoughlanMary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The EU regulation covering the current early retirement scheme will expire in December 2006. Take-up has fallen far short of expectations, and an expenditure review of the scheme carried out by my Department in 2004 raised a number of questions about it.

The Council regulation on rural development for the period 2007 to 2013 again includes provision for member states to operate early retirement measures. No decisions have yet been taken regarding the schemes to be operated in Ireland under this regulation.

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