Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 376: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if back payment and compensation will be awarded to people who were part of the 1994 early retirement scheme but who are no longer in the ERS. [39975/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I recently announced substantial increases in the maximum pension rates payable under both Schemes of Early Retirement from Farming which take effect from 1 November 2006. I have decided to increase the maximum payment to participants in the 1994–99 Scheme from €12,075 to €14,075 and the maximum payment in the current Scheme from €13,515 to €15,000. These increases will cost some €33 million extra over the remaining period of the two Schemes, and some 5,000 retired farmers will benefit from them.

These increases will be payable to participants in both Schemes with effect from 1 November 2006. Therefore, retired farmers whose participation in the 1994 Scheme had finished on or before 31 October 2006 will not benefit from the increased payment.