asked the Minister for Health whether he has made an Order to prevent milk, other than pasteurised milk, from being offered for sale in any specified area in the State, where the making of such an Order is in opposition to the wishes of the consumers and the local public health authority and if he has not made an Order in such case whether he will give an assurance that he will not do so.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Prohibiting Sate of Milk.
No Order of the nature referred to in the first portion of the Deputy's question has been made.
The Milk and Dairies Act, 1935, provides that the Minister for Health, on the application of the sanitary authority concerned, may prohibit by Order the sale of milk within the whole or part of a sanitary district unless such milk is sold under a special designation within the meaning of Part IV of the Act. The special designations at present are pastenrised milk, highest grade milk and standard milk.
Proposals for amending legislation designed to restrict the sale of milk which is not free from the risk of infection and to encourage the extension of pasteurisation facilities are at present under consideration. I do not anticipate that measures aimed at improving the safety of the milk supply in this respect will meet with opposition from the general body of consumers.