asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will grant the dairy farmers of Éire the stabilised price of 1/7 per gallon for milk.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Milk Prices.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware that the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association has requested the establishment of an arbitration tribunal to deal with the cost of production of milk and thereby the fixing of an economic price; and, if so, if he will favourably consider the setting up of such a tribunal in the near future.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if, in view of the widespread sales of dairy herds caused by the uneconomic price paid to producers of milk, he will take immediate steps to establish an efficient costings board in his Department for the purpose of ascertaining the cost of production of all farm produce and meanwhile if he will take advantage of the costings concerning milk production prepared by Professor Michael Murphy, University College, Cork, for the Cork Milk Producers' Association and the Mitchelstown Co-operative Society and have them brought up to date.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if, in view of the extreme urgency and gravity of the butter supply position which compels us to make further heavy purchases of butter abroad for home consumption, he will have the price of milk supplied to creameries and sold for human consumption raised to an economic level immediately.
asked the Minister for Agriculture whether, in view of the greatly increased costs, he will arrange to have the present price of milk supplied to creameries increased without a consequential increase in the price of butter so that farmers may obtain a fair and equitable profit for this commodity.
asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware that the present price of milk is inadequate in view of the increased cost of production; and, if so, whether he will take immediate steps to increase the price by 3d. per gallon without a consequent increase in the price of butter.
Mr. Walsh
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38 together.
I have at present under review the whole position in regard to the price for creamery milk and I hope that within a few weeks I shall be able to indicate the Government's conclusions on the matter.