John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 477: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she will re-assess the early retirement pension entitlements of a person (details supplied) in County Sligo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31623/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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For persons who entered the Early Retirement Scheme in the year ended 31 December 2000 the pension is payable for a maximum period of 10 years but in any event not beyond the participant's 70th birthday. The person named entered the Scheme on 24 December 2000 and payment of his pension will continue until 5 June 2010, when he reaches the age of 70.

It is a requirement of the EU Council Regulation under which the 2000 Early Retirement Scheme was introduced that the Early Retirement Pension can be paid only as a supplement to any national retirement pension, which must be applied for on reaching the age of 66, to which the participant, and his or her spouse or partner in a joint management arrangement, is entitled. This means that the value of any such national retirement pension payable must be deducted from the Early Retirement Pension.

The person named reached the age of 66 on 6 June 2006 and was awarded a Survivor's Contributory pension on 9 June 2006. In accordance with the requirements of the Early Retirement Scheme my Department was obliged to deduct his Survivor's pension from his Early Retirement pension from the date on which it was awarded.