Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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474. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there are circumstances which apply if a farmer must retire from farming due to ill-health and, with no possible succession available, can be removed without large penalties under the BDGP and GLAS schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21419/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The GLAS terms and conditions provide for force majeure provisions where a beneficiary is unable to continue complying with their commitments under the Scheme for reasons beyond their control. Long term professional incapacity of the participant is one of the categories specifically listed.

In applying to participate in the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) applicants commit to undertake the requirements for the full 6 years of the Programme. However the Terms and Conditions of the BDGP do provide that a participant may withdraw from the Programme, without recovery of payments previously made, on force majeure grounds which includes the long term incapacity of the beneficiary.

Each application for force majeure is examined individually under the relevant Scheme provisions.