Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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210. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if and when he will reintroduce the farm early retirement scheme; the criteria he will use to assess applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1839/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Early Retirement Scheme was suspended in 2008 due to budgetary constraints. It was reopened briefly in September 2009, with limited additional funding, to accommodate farmers who had applications completed or close to completion at the time of suspension. I have no plans to re-open this scheme or introduce another similar scheme at this time.