asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will make a statement on the progress to date and the prospects for EEC regulations regarding sheep meat.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - EEC Sheep Meat Regulations.
22.
As the Deputy is aware, the EEC Commission undertook, at the request of the Council of Ministers, to put forward proposals for a common organisation of the market for sheep and lamb but the Commission has not yet done so. At recent meetings of the Council of Ministers I have urged early action by the Commission in this matter and I have also discussed it with individual Ministers and the EEC Agricultural Commissioner. I will continue to do all I can to press for an EEC Sheep Meat Regulation this year.
I appreciate the Minister's position in regard to the request made at the beginning by myself and later by the Minister for the implementation of a sheep meat regulation. However, in the meantime, can the Minister intimate to sheep producers whether the holders of lambs for sale at the moment could hope for results from his conversation with the French Minister, M. Chirac?
I can answer that better in Question No. 23. The Deputy has a further question on the same subject and it comes more directly under that.