asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if there are any plans in his Department to introduce a scheme to promote the production of rape-seed.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rape-Seed Production.
7.
The production of rape-seed is already catered for under the EEC price support arrangements. The introduction of a separate national scheme in addition to the EEC system would be incompatible with the Common Market.
Could I ask the Minister, first, whether it is correct that the EEC, in the light of world-wide scarcity of protein concentrates, are themselves going to introduce a special scheme for the promotion of rape-seed for the production, number one, of oil, and, number two, of a protein concentrate residue; and, secondly, whether, if it is correct, the scheme will be encouraged actively by his Department throughout the country?
The Deputy is correct in so far as a general discussion has taken place on the desirability of any scheme in Europe that would provide additional protein, but it has only reached that stage so far. In relation to the second part of the supplementary about encouraging the growth of oil seed rape, all I can say is that the advisory officers throughout the country have been informed of developments here and have also been informed of the desirability of promoting the existing scheme for the production of oil seed rape.