asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the date of the establishment of the development council of the glasshouse industry announced in paragraph 5.88 of the Third Programme for Economic and Social Development; and its composition, functions and cost to date.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Glasshouse Industry Council.
73.
The position of such a development council fell to be further considered in the light of considerations involved in our accession to the EEC with particular reference to the place of "producer groups" in the EEC system. Under the horticultural grants scheme introduced here following this year's budget grant aid is available for the information and development of groups of horticultural producers to improve and co-ordinate production and marketing.
Is the Minister aware that it was stated in the Third Programme that the formation of a development council for the glasshouse industry was actually taking place at the time the programme was issued in April, 1969? Could the Minister explain why the steps which were apparently in train then have apparently yielded no results by now? We were not actually going into the EEC then.
A survey made certain recommendations in regard to the formation of a group such as that to which the Deputy refers but, as I said in reply to an earlier question, there seems to be a lack of enthusiasm for this as yet.
But the Government announced that they were implementing this proposal.