Farm Retirement Group claim “great progress”

RETIRED farmers have welcomed a European Parliament ruling that their complaint of unfair treatment in the Mid Term Review of the Common Agricultural Policy is admissible.

Great progress has also been made at national level in getting a hearing for their complaint, said Sean Guerin, chairman of the Farm Retirement Group for Justice.

He said Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh has officially recognised the Group as the representative organisation for retired farmers.

And the Department of Agriculture has undertaken to examine a number of issues raised by the Group.

They include annual supplementary payments of €4,000 and the maximum limit on retirement pension; ERS and national pension rights anomalies, such as clawback of ERS payments; and provisions for retired farmers in the CAP Mid Term Review.

Mr Guerin acknowledged the Minister’s undertaking that retired farmers were now very much centre stage in the Mid Term Review discussions and would remain so.