Retirement and land transfer scheme may go

WITH only about 300 applications to the Early Retirement Scheme expected this year, the industry could be on the verge of losing the scheme which has successfully transferred thousands of acres into the hands of young farmers.

Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan has not ruled out ending the incentive for the transfer or lease of farmland to qualified younger farmer, by farmers of 56 years and over who are eligible for the retirement pension.

Gerard Gunning, Executive Secretary of IFA’s National Rural Development Committee has confirmed that the Association is concerned that the scheme is under threat, “despite the need for ongoing restructuring measures within agriculture”.

He said IFA has pointed out to the Government that the scheme has lost its appeal because the pension is not index linked and the income and age limits rule out many transferees. Also, with decoupling, the scheme had attracted critical comment in recent years, and the publicity arising from that had hit the rate of uptake, said the IFA official.

He said the Government should look at making it more practical by updating its terms, rather than scrapping it.

Mr Gunning said IFA will seek an increase in the pension to €18,000, an higher age limit for eligible transferees, an off farm income limit of €35,000, and abolition of a 200 income unit limit.