asked the Minister for Agriculture if the present applicants for the EC milk cessation scheme will qualify for the proposed higher rates of compensation at present under discussion at the Council of Ministers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - EC Milk Scheme.
12.
The increased level of compensation will be available to all applicants under the Community milk cessation scheme including those producers who have already applied on the basis of a lower premium being available.
Is the Minister aware of the difficulty for the north western co-operatives in the uptake of the scheme? Has he any plans to have an across-the-board national uptake of this scheme to ameliorate the problems and difficulties of the north western co-operatives?
If you will excuse me, Sir, I intend to answer that under Question No. 16 which has been tabled by Deputy J. Leonard specifically on that point. I want to refer to the question which Deputy Walsh raised. Originally the compensation under this cessation scheme was settled at 14.5p a gallon for each year of seven years. With the green £ devaluation that went up to 15.3p a gallon and as a result of this week's meeting in Brussels it has now gone up to 23p a gallon. Up to the beginning of this week the 2 per cent which we are due to cut under the cessation scheme in 1987 was subscribed to the extent of 68 per cent — 68 per cent of the 2 per cent had been taken up. It is obvious that we are going to have a massive flood of applications because of the increased compensation, and that creates a difficulty for me as to whether I should give first preference to people who applied before the price increase was given or whether I should pool all the applications and have a ballot. I will have to give a great deal of thought to that, but one can imagine that it will be heavily over-subscribed.