Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 89: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the position regarding spouses of early retirement scheme applicants who have deceased during the period of the pension; if the pension is being withheld; if it will be restored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16903/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Since the first Scheme of Early Retirement from Farming was introduced in 1994, it has been the practice to continue to pay the pension to dependants of participants who died before the period of their pension had elapsed. This arrangement was provided for first scheme document which was approved by the Commission and in the Rural Development Programme, 2000–2006, under which the second Scheme was introduced. However, following recent audits of the Scheme by the European Court of Auditors and the European Commission, the Commission has informed my Department that this practice is not compatible with the governing Regulations and must be discontinued. I am considering the implications of the European Commission's comments. In the meantime, my Department has suspended the processing of new cases.