asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food whether, in view of the delays in completing the EC farm price talks, he will ensure that the benefits accruing will date from 1 April 1988.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - EC Farm Price Talks.
31.
From both the legal and practical points of view it would not be possible to make the price agreement apply retrospectively. Similar delays have, of course, occurred in the past — including the last few years — and these have resulted in the extension of existing marketing years to cover the interim period and the application of the eventual agreement from a current or future date. I regret that it has not been possible to reach agreement this year up to now and I can assure the Deputy that I will be doing all in my power to ensure that we reach a satisfactory decision at the next meeting of the Council of Ministers beginning on 13 June.
Will the Minister accept that there are exceptional delays in concluding the farm price talks? In relation to milk and the possibility of a green £ devaluation, will the Minister agree that the loss to the farming community, because of the delay, is around £10 million per week? From that point of view will the Minister agree that it is of major importance to our producers, especially milk producers, that the farm price talks are completed as quickly as possible? I accept that the matter is not entirely in his hands but some account should be taken of the losses being incurred because of the delay.
I agree with the Deputy and I have urged the other Ministers—although there are 11 other countries — and the Commission to try to reach agreement much more quickly. I would prefer not to have to spend another full week discussing the matter. I will be back there next week for bilateral discussions and I will, over a two-day period, impress our case on the German Presidency. I have been stressing the urgency of this matter since the beginning of January and it has been going on for too long now. It is time that other countries agreed to conclude the talks but the French, Danish and Belgian elections posed problems. I have impressed on the Commission the urgency of the matter and that we should try to conclude the talks in the week commencing 13 June.
Apart from the date of the conclusion of the talks, will the Minister accept that the delays and the losses suffered by our producers strengthen and reinforce his hand for demanding a full green £ devaluation, at the very minimum?
I will be pressing for that. The price agreement last year was reached on 1 July, another year it was on 30 May, and in 1979-80 agreement was reached on 22 June. Therefore, the delay is not exceptional although I am not happy with it.