148 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the num ber of people between the age of 55 and 66 years of age who are in receipt of farm early retirement pension, invalidity pension and disability benefit allowance. [7526/02]

My Department has no information about participants under 66 in the 1994 early retirement scheme who have the invalidity pension, because it was not classified as a national retirement pension in the operation of that scheme and there was no need to record the information. At the behest of the EU Commission, however, the invalidity pension is classified under the new early retirement scheme as a national retirement pension whatever the age of the recipient. There are three participants in the new scheme who have the invalidity pension and are under 66.

As disability benefits and allowances are not regarded as national retirement pensions for the purposes of either the old or the new schemes of early retirement, my Department does not have records of participants in receipt of such payments.