asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he has received representations in regard to Kildorrery creamery, and whether it is intended to leave this creamery under its present management or to amalgamate it with an adjoining co-operative society creamery, or to have it acquired by the Dairy Disposals Board.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Kildorrery (County Cork) Creamery.
Kildorrery is the last creamery in Ireland to remain in private ownership, all the rest have been or are in the process of being transferred to co-operative societies.
The question of whether Kildorrery is to change rests entirely in the hands of the suppliers.
There are two alternatives:—
(1) absorption by Mitchelstown Co-operative Society;
(2) continuation of its present status as the private property of the firm of Gates and Company.
Inasmuch as Messrs. Gates and Company have shown themselves to be a public-spirited and honourable company who have dealt fairly with their suppliers, and who on many occasions have exerted themselves to serve their suppliers' interests, and as I believe they will provide in the years to come an especially valuable outlet for fresh cream in the London market, I strongly recommend the suppliers to maintain their existing trade relations with Messrs. Gates at Kildorrery, and I understand that the firm is always ready to discuss with their suppliers any adjustment of their trade terms so as to ensure that mutual satisfaction will be an enduring feature of their business relations with their Kildorrery suppliers.
Is the Minister aware that an association called the Kildorrery Milk Suppliers' Association made representations to his predecessor in 1947 to have this creamery acquired?
I believe that that is so.
Would that representation still stand as an indication of the views of the farmers supplying the Kildorrery creamery?
If I were satisfied that a substantial number of the suppliers of the Kildorrery creamery desired that it should be absorbed by the Mitchelstown Society, I would take steps to ascertain the wishes of the suppliers and whatever the majority of the suppliers to the Kildorrery creamery wish to have done will be done.