Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 209: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the status of payment under the early retirement scheme from farming for a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32220/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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It is a requirement of the EU regulations under which the early retirement scheme is implemented 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, may receive. This means that the value of any such national retirement pension, which includes contributory pensions, must be offset against the early retirement pension.

The person named entered the scheme on 11 August 2005 under the joint management arrangement. As the amount of her husband's contributory old age pension was greater than what would have been payable to her under the scheme, she was not entitled to any payment. When this was explained to her, she notified my Department on 21 October 2005 that she had decided to withdraw her application.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 210: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when the recommendations of a report (details supplied) will be implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32221/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The joint committee's examination of the early retirement scheme provided a welcome opportunity to air a wide range of issues and I believe that this in itself has been helpful in clarifying the position. Earlier this month I provided a detailed response to the report. Regrettably, I have not been able to accept a number of the committee's recommendations. They are precluded by elements of the EU regulations under which the current scheme and its predecessor are operated. Indeed, the European Commission has rejected a complaint brought against my Department on most of the issues which were also covered by the committee's report. However, the committee made other recommendations which I am still considering.