Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 410: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to Parliamentary Question No. 531 of 10 February 2009, the number of farmers of the 145 who have actually been paid; and the number of officials from his Department who are dealing with the farm retirement scheme. [7118/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Of the 145 applications for the Early Retirement Scheme received before 14 October 2008, 21 applications will go into payment on 27 February 2008, which is the next payment date. Not including the 145 applications referred to above, there are still almost 3,800 retired farmers participating in one or other of the three Early Retirement schemes. There are the equivalent of 28 staff units in my Department currently dealing with all aspects of these schemes, including administration, payments and inspections.