Farmers’ wives face pension pay U-turn

FARMING couple Margaret and Christopher Ryan were delighted when their application for a farming spouse pension was accepted, giving the elderly wife and husband a chance to enjoy retirement.

But a heavy burden now hangs over wife Margaret, 71, after the Department of Social Protection in January withdrew her pension almost overnight and wrote to her saying she had to pay nearly €44,000 back to the state.

Her case is one of 268 where farmers’ wives claim the department has backtracked on agreements to pay farm spouses pensions under a state-funded business partnership scheme.