307 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she will review the rate of pension being paid under the early retirement scheme from farming to those who joined the scheme when it was introduced initially; and her views on awarding them a substantial increase. [21739/06]

308 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she has plans within her Department to review the rate of pension being paid under the early retirement from farming scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21740/06]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 307 and 308 together.

The rate of pension payable under the 1994 Scheme of Early Retirement from Farming is the maximum amount of €12,075 per annum provided for by the EU Council Regulation under which the Scheme was introduced. There is no provision in the Regulation for increases in the rate of pension by indexation or otherwise. When the current (2000-2006) Early Retirement Scheme was being negotiated, my Department proposed that the rate of payment should increase annually up to the maximum provided for in the Regulation, which is €15,000. However the European Commission rejected this for legal reasons and a fixed rate of €13,515 per annum was then approved. Any change to this rate would require an amendment to the CAP Rural Development Plan 2000-2006.