Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 1156: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she has received correspondence from the EU Petitions Committee regarding the operation of the early retirement scheme; the steps she intends to take to address their concerns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28399/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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In May 2003, a group representing retired farmers lodged a petition with the European Parliament Committee on Petitions, alleging that Ireland had not implemented correctly the Council Regulations governing the 1994 and 2000 Schemes of Early Retirement from Farming. The Committee requested information from the European Commission. In reply, the Commission made it clear that in its considered opinion there was no question of any infringement having been committed by Ireland in the implementation of the Schemes.

The Chairman of the Committee has raised these issues with me again in a letter dated 5 September, while acknowledging the view that the Commission had taken. The Chairman also referred to the report on the same issues which was produced in February 2005 by the Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food, and asked for details of my response to the Joint Oireachtas Committee's recommendations. The contents of the Chairman's letter are currently being examined.