(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Agriculture the amount of money allocated to this country for the promotion of the school milk scheme; if the full amount has been taken up; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
6.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Milk Scheme.
5.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Agriculture the improvements, if any, he proposes to introduce with regard to the school milk scheme; and if he will extend the subsidy to cover other milk products.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 and 6 together.
No specific sum is allocated to this country for the promotion of the school milk scheme. The quantity of milk supplied under the scheme in 1984 was 1.7 million gallons which received an EC subsidy of just over £2 million. If all eligible schoolchildren were participating some seven million gallons of milk would be utilised and the EC subsidy would be about £8 million. There is already provision in the scheme whereby certain milk products such as cheese and yoghurt may be substituted for whole milk.
I have repeatedly encouraged greater participation in the scheme and in this connection I have had discussions with representatives of teachers and the dairies. The National Dairies Association and the National Dairy Council have also been most active in seeking to increase participation and their efforts in this respect are to be commended. The NDC have, in fact, recently recruited some 70 unemployed young people to canvass schools and help with the distribution of the milk.
(Limerick West): In view of the fact that we could have attracted a subsidy of £8 million from the EC surely there is room to promote the scheme more positively than it is being promoted at the moment? Can the Minister say why the scheme is not being taken up by the various schools?
There are a lot of reasons. In the past few years the NDC have been extremely active in promoting the scheme. One of the problems identified is the lack of refrigeration and canteen facilities in schools and the extra work involved for teachers in distributing milk and collecting money. To offset these difficulties quite a number of dairies are now offering incentives to schools, such as refrigerating units while others are supplying milk free of charge. The Minister had talks recently with the dairies and with the teachers' union and in the course of public addresses both he and I stressed the benefits of the scheme and encouraged greater participation in it. The greatest single problem is the lack of refrigeration. I look at some of the schemes in the UK where it is more successful. Many of the schools there are fitted with refrigerated containers where milk is supplied in five gallon cartons. Flavouring is also supplied separately. Apparently that is a way to encourage greater participation.
Question No. 7.
(Limerick West): Could I ask the Minister——
We cannot have a long speech. We are defeating the whole object of Question Time.
(Limerick West): I will be very brief. Will the Minister consider extending the subsidy to cover other milk products such as yoghurt which is attractive to children and would the Minister consider introducing dispensers to schools?
My initial efforts with dispensers was not very successful probably because we did not have enough dispensers and because of the limited time available to students it did not work out well.
Question No. 7.
(Limerick West): What about other milk products?
Our yoghurt is not full fat yoghurt and would only carry a low level grant. Yoghurt made from 85 per cent whole milk would carry the full grant. My choice for promoting the scheme would be to use the flavoured milks.
Question No. 7.
I want to ask the Minister a very brief question on that.
The Deputy's spokesman put down this question and he has already asked a number of questions.
The Minister took the first two together and then the second two together.
They are on the same subject.
I appreciate that.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 8——
Can I ask a supplementary?
The Deputy may ask a short question. I would not think that the Deputy should feel compelled to ask a question and he would not be ruled out of order or lose any of the privileges of the House if he did not.
Can the Minister indicate what liaison he has with the Minister for Education in promoting this scheme and if any section of the Department of Education are responsible for its promotion? Will the Minister indicate if it will be wise to make a submission to the EC whereby the milk consumed by the school children could be allowable against any super-levy quota situation?
The Minister has had discussions with the Minister for Education and meetings with the teacher's union.
What about the Minister for Education? What involvement has she in it?
I suppose it would be through the unions.
Question No. 7.