Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 784: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if the new farm retirement scheme will be approved by the EU Commission in the near future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15039/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Proposals for a new Early Retirement Scheme, with a maximum annual pension payment rate of €15,000, have been included in the draft Rural Development Programme for the period 2007–2013. The draft Programme was sent to the Commission in late December 2006 to begin the approval process. I cannot be definite as to how long this process will take but I continue to pursue early approval and my officials are in ongoing contact with their counterparts in the Commission services.