asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries what arrangements are being made to secure a market for all surplus skim milk from creameries in County Clare; and if all available supplies will be purchased this year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Surplus Skim Milk.
77.
Supplies of skim milk on offer by dairy farmers generally are much greater this year than in previous years because of the higher prices being paid and the overall expansion in milk production. To meet the situation the Dairy Disposal Company have announced plans for a new milk powder factory at Cratloe, County Clare to cater for skim milk supplies from the Limerick and Clare areas and it aims to have the factory in operation as early as possible in 1973. The company's existing milk processing plant at Lansdowne which is already handling milk from both Limerick and Clare will, of course, continue to utilise as much skim milk from Clare as its capacity will permit.
Pending erection of the proposed factory, would the Minister ask the Dairy Disposal Company to investigate any possible outlets into which the extra skim could be channelled? In anticipation of some kind of diversification, farmers sold their calves and for a year or two they have not been accepting the full supply of skim from the creameries. Possibly the Listowel plant may be able to accept some supplies. At the moment several thousand gallons of skim are not being used.
Any assistance the Department can give to the deployment of surplus skim into various diversification plants will be forthcoming. Naturally, the initiative must come from the people who would purchase it. However, if we can help by directing surplus milk to other areas we will be glad to do it.
78.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will comment on a report (details supplied) to the effect that 50,000 gallons of skim milk are being dumped daily by western farmers in protest against alleged inadequate processing facilities in that area; and if his Department will hold an inquiry into this matter.
While every encouragement is given officially to the provision of new milk-processing plants where needed, it is primarily a matter for the co-operative societies and other commercial interests concerned to promote such plans. A new skim milk processing factory was in fact opened in the west of Ireland last month and during the past few weeks I have approved of a project for the establishment of a new cheese factory there. An application for a licence for a third factory has since been received by my Department and a decision on this will be taken at a very early date.
Is the Minister aware that the new powder milk factory at Ballaghaderreen is accepting skim milk from creameries in the south while it is refusing to accept skim milk from local creameries?
I have heard this. It may be that this arises from contracts entered into earlier. I am not certain about this, but probably it is the reason. I do not know of any other reason why the Ballaghaderreen plant should take supplies from a long distance with the extra costs involved when there are supplies nearer at hand. This is a situation we hope to catch up on.
Will the Minister ensure that the factory at Ballaghaderreen will accept skim milk from local creameries?
I cannot do that because it is a co-operative enterprise. What can be done is to assist in the expansion of the diversification plans in the west generally.
Does it not seem foolish to have skim milk coming from Tipperary to Ballaghaderreen and to have skim milk going from Ballaghaderreen to Virginia?
It is probably a matter of whether cheaper supplies are available locally. I do not know the precise reasons nor do I know from which area the milk is coming but I feel sure there are a lot of contractual reasons why this situation obtains.