asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will make a statement on the implications of the Dublin Conference of EEC Prime Ministers in so far as Irish cheese marketing is concerned.
34.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - EEC Dublin Conference.
33.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will make a statement on the implications of the Dublin Conference of EEC Prime Ministers in so far as mutton and lamb marketing is concerned.
35.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will make a statement on the implications of the Dublin Conference of EEC Prime Ministers in so far as Irish butter marketing is concerned.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 33, 34 and 35 together.
The agreement in regard to New Zealand dairy products which was reached at the meeting of Heads of Government in Dublin last week lays down certain guidelines for the carrying out of the review provided for in Article 5 of Protocol No. 18 to the Accession Treaty. This review will cover butter only and the quantities to be provided for in the period up to 1980 are to remain close to effective deliveries of New Zealand butter to the United Kingdom in 1974 and estimated deliveries in 1975. In the case of cheese, Protocol No. 18 provides, of course, that the exceptional arrangement for the import of New Zealand cheese into the United Kingdom cannot be maintained after the 31st December, 1977. The agreement provides that this situation and the problems which may arise from it are to be given due attention with appropriate urgency. I am satisfied that the agreement does not have any serious implications for the future of Irish exports of butter and cheese to the United Kingdom.
Imports of New Zealand mutton and lamb into the United Kingdom were not one of the United Kingdom's renegotiation issues and were not discussed at the meeting.
Would the Minister not agree that under the Treaty of Accession the United Kingdom Government on behalf of the New Zealand authorities, undertook to reduce exports of cheese into the United Kingdom to 25 per cent of its 1972 level and, in the case of butter, by 25 per cent to 75 per cent of its 1972 level by 1978? In the context of the over supplied market both in butter and cheddar cheese, which is peculiarly consumed in the British market only, does it not make for a reduction in the market available to Irish producers of cheddar cheese?
There is no commitment about cheese. I said that in my reply.
Is the agreement that has already been signed by the UK Government not now being reviewed? Can it be reviewed only with a view to increasing the amount of cheddar cheese——
Brief questions, please.
There is provision for a review in the accession treaty, as the Deputy probably knows. The protocol lays down with regard to butter and cheese:
The Council shall review the situation during 1975 and shall determine appropriate measures to ensure the maintenance after 31st December, 1977, of exceptional measures in respect of imports of butter from New Zealand; and (b), in regard to cheese, the exceptional import arrangements laid down in the Protocol may not be retained after the end of December, 1977.
The Minister can therefore assure the House that the Irish cheddar cheese industry will not be in a more detrimental position after the Dublin summit than before it?
That is what the reply states and I agree with it.
That is not what Bord Bainne say.
The communiqué that issued from that meeting does not tie anybody to anything. I am very happy about the whole thing. I think it is a great result.