asked the Minister for Agriculture the manner in which the arrangements for 1978-79 for the sale of a limited quantity of butter from intervention stocks with a subsidy of 27p per lb will differ from the Christmas butter scheme last year; if he is satisfied with the way the Christmas butter scheme operated last year; and if he will seek advice from consumer and social service organisations in designing the scheme this year.
Written Answers . - Butter Scheme .
31.
: At its meeting on 8 to 12 May the Council of Agricultural Ministers agreed to allocate 50 million units of account for further measures to help butter consumption. Consultations have just begun between the Commission and the member states on drawing up such measures and, pending their finalisation, I cannot say how they will differ from the Christmas butter scheme of last year.
While I am aware that some local problems arose in connection with the operation of last year's Christmas butter scheme, the fact remains that it did achieve its objective of increased sales of butter.
My Department will in the normal way have consultations in due course with the appropriate interests on the operation of the arrangements for 1978-9.
There will, of course, be a separate butter scheme for social welfare recipients. As already announced, I have secured the agreement of the Council to the reintroduction of the social butter scheme and I expect that the Commission's regulations on this will be finalised shortly.
32.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he proposes to support the Commission's proposals for a Council regulation on the sale of butter at reduced prices to persons receiving social assistance, if adopted by the Council; if the regulation will be implemented here; if he will give details of the social welfare groups that would qualify for inclusion; and the amount of the matching subsidy required from the member states.
: At their meeting on 8 to 12 May the Council of Ministers agreed to the reintroduction of the social butter scheme. Not alone do I support this proposal but it was on my initiative that it was agreed to in the first instance by the Council. It is intended to implement the scheme in Ireland when the necessary Community regulation has been adopted. Pending the adoption of that regulation I cannot say with certainty what social welfare groups will qualify for inclusion. The cost of the scheme will be borne entirely by FEOGA and no matching subsidy is required from the member states.