asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will report on the participation of Ireland in (a) the Agriculture Committee and (b) the Working Party on Dairy Products, set up by GATT.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - GATT Agricultural Position.
16.
Ireland is represented at and participates in the work of both bodies. The Agriculture Committee was set up by GATT at the end of 1967 with the objective of removing or reducing barriers to trade in agricultural products. Much of its time since then has been devoted to the basic groundwork of compiling detailed reports and statistics about international production and trade in the major agricultural products. The committee is now moving from the stage of identification of the problems involved to the stage of seeking acceptable solutions.
The working party on dairy products, which was also set up at the end of 1967, has been exploring the possibility of achieving agreements for minimum export prices for dairy products, especially butter and skim milk powder. So far, progress has been made in the case of skim milk powder, a draft agreement on which is at present being considered.
Can the Minister say what attitude he has adopted with regard to the draft agreement to which he referred?
I said it is being considered.