asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will arrange to exempt milk producers in disadvantaged areas from the co-responsibility levies.
Written Answers. - Co-Responsibility Levy.
203.
The question of exemption from the co-responsibility levy is one for the Council of Ministers of the European Communities. At present milk producers in the disadvantaged areas pay a reduced rate of levy on the first 60,000 kg (13,000 gallons approximately) of milk delivered by them. The continuance of this special diferential in favour of producers has been proposed by the EC Commission in their price proposals for 1983-84 and I, of course, support it. Indeed I will also be seeking to have producers in the severely handicapped areas totally exempted from the levy.
In addition the Commission have proposed that aid be provided again this year to support the income of small scale milk producers on the lines of the scheme approved last year. Under last year's scheme Ireland received about £4.5 million which largely compensated producers in the disadvantaged areas for the amount of co-responsibility levy paid by them. I am hopeful of an at least equally advantageous outcome this year.