Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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873. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers availing of the early retirement scheme that have, as a result, lost their entitlements to single farm payment. [13445/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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No farmer who availed of the Early Retirement Scheme lost their Single Farm Payment entitlements. As all farmers who availed of this scheme had to retire from active farming they had three options as to what they wanted to do with their entitlements:

1. Sell entitlements

2. Transfer entitlements to an active farmer

3. Lease entitlements

Those farmers who leased out entitlements that are now reverting back to them must act now to dispose of them before 15 May, otherwise they will be lost. I am writing to all farmers in this position to advise them of all their options.