Vol. 477 No. 7
150 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the steps, if any, he has taken to implement the commitment in Partnership 2000 to establish a producers' register of grain growers; and the plans, if any, he has put forward proposals in Brussels to make the necessary changes in EU legislation in this regard. [10265/97]
151 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will assure grain growers that the growers' register will be in place for the 1997 harvest. [10266/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 150 and 151 together.
The EU Commission has proposed an amendment to Council Regulation (EC) No. 1765/92 governing the support system for producers of arable crops to allow overshoot penalties to be confined to sub-base areas responsible for the overshoot. My Department has requested a further change which would provide for individual producers to be penalised on the basis of an increase in their average registered production area over a three year period.
Other member states have also requested changes to the support system and all are being considered at present by the Council of Agriculture Ministers.
The establishment of a growers' register will only be relevant if and when the necessary changes to EU legislation are agreed. My Department is making arrangements to have this register in place at the earliest possible date in anticipation of these changes.
