Scheme suspension ‘leaves farmers without pension’

FARMERS have been left without farm or pension by last week’s suspension of the early retirement scheme, according to the Agricultural Consultants Association (ACA).

There are disastrous results also for farmers who entered into irreversible land transactions required by the terms of the Installation Aid Scheme, said ACA president, Bréian Carroll.

“Both of these schemes required stamped legal documents, and there is invariably a time lag between the drawing up of leases, deeds of transfer and the availability of stamped documents. The Budget decision has caught these individuals between the stages.”