asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food whether the favours a change in the milk marketing year to a calendar year; and the present position at EC level in relation to this proposal.
Written Answers. - Milk Marketing Year.
78.
Among the issues which I have requested the Quota Review Group, which I set up recently, to examine is the question of whether a change in the quota year from the present April-March period to the calendar year would be desirable from Ireland's point of view. The Group will be reporting their findings to me including any recommendations for changes by the autumn.
Any change in the quota year would have to be applied on a Community wide basis and, therefore, would require a proposal from the EC Commission which would be acceptable to the other member states. An earlier proposal to change the year to October to September was not acceptable to most member states and was therefore dropped.