Press release

05/02/10

Today local Minister Noel Dempsey, T.D. welcomed the arrangements for processing applications for the Scheme Of Early Retirement from Farming, which was submitted in September and October 2009.

Speaking today Minister Dempsey said: “This is great news for Meath farmers aged between 55 and 66 who wish to retire from farming or who want to lease their land to younger farmers. I am very happy that my colleague Minister Brendan Smith re-opened the Early Retirement Scheme (ERS) in September 2009, to prioritise those farmers who had missed out on the Scheme when it closed in October 2008. I know from speaking to local farmers how popular this scheme is with over 170 applications received nationally by October 31st 2009.”

The Early Retirement Scheme 2007 was introduced on 13 June 2007. In certain circumstances, farmers who retire early under this Scheme may be eligible for a pension. A small number of farmers were rejected because they didn’t provide vital supporting information and their applications didn’t meet the scheme conditions.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will be sending out information shortly with successful applicants. There are a number of applicants in which the prospective transferees are required, under the terms of ERS, to be accepted into the Young Farmers Installation Scheme (YFIS). However, as YFIS is closed, they are not in a position to satisfy this requirement.  Now, transferees concerned will be given the opportunity to obtain additional land to enlarge the retiring farmers’ holdings and to qualify for the scheme on that basis.

Ends

Note to editors:

  • Additional land required is a minimum of 5 hectares.
  • The land may be owned, leased or rented. This must be subject of an annual Single Payment Scheme application by the transferee for at least 5 years.
  • Where the retiring farmer’s enterprise is an intensive one, the requirement is for a minimum of 5 additional production units.