asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he has received a resolution from Cork County Committee of Agriculture expressing grave concern at reports of industrial proposals to manufacture, in this State, sugar from imported syrup; and if he intends to inform the committee of the present position in the matter as known to him.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sugar Manufacture.
18.
My Department received the resolution referred to by the Deputy and are replying to the Cork County Committee of Agriculture. Any proposal for grant-aiding the establishment of a plant to manufacture high fructose corn syrup——HFCS—here is primarily a matter for the Minister for Industry and Commerce. I have made known to him my view that such a development would pose a serious threat to the Irish beet sugar industry.
I may add that the EEC Council of Ministers has already decided to remove the advantage over sugar which HFCS at present enjoys by ending as from 1st August next the production refunds on maize starch used in the manufacture of HFCS. I have made known to my colleagues in the Council my views on the seriousness of the threat posed by HFCS and I am pressing the Commission to introduce further control measures on the production of this product without delay.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary assure the House and the country that the importation of isomerents will not be allowed during the coming 12 months?
I can assure the House that the Minister has taken a particular interest in this question. It is a development which causes the greatest concern because of its adverse effects on the Sugar Company and the beet growers and also as far as workers engaged in the beet processing industry are concerned.
Can I take it that because of the Parliamentary Secretary's remarks the importation of isomerents will not be allowed?
(Interruptions.)
Order, order.
Can we have a guarantee from the Parliamentary Secretary that there will be no imports?
I have given a definite reply to the questions posed here. I said that the Minister has taken a particular interest in this question and that he has referred it to his colleagues in the Council.
Order. A final supplementary. Question Time is up.
Can I take it that there will be no importations of isomerents?
The Deputy can take the answers I have given to the question and to the supplementary questions.
The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.