Vol. 392 No. 3
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food, in relation to the proposed one per cent increase in milk quota allocation from the EC, if he will reserve 50 per cent of this 10 million gallons increase specifically for new entrants and younger farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
63.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will ensure that the redistribution of 1 per cent of the national milk reserve of 11 million gallons is done on the basis of reissuing the quotas to the creamery from which they were previously taken; if his attention has been drawn to the particular difficulties which will arise for areas such as County Wexford should it be distributed on any other basis; and if he will make a statement on the current European Commissions's proposals to reissue such a national reserve of milk.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 63 together.
The proposal of the EC Commission to allocate each member state an additional 1 per cent in quotas, which would be made available to priority category producers, was again discussed by the Council of Agricultural Ministers at its meeting on 23-24 October 1989. However agreement was not reached at that meeting. I would hope that a decision in the matter might be taken at the Council's next meeting in November.
I have welcomed the Commission's proposal to grant the additional quotas because I pressed for such an initiative during the price negotiations last spring. However, along with some other EC Ministers I have difficulties with the compensation element of the proposal.
I am aware of the suggestion that the additional quota should be allocated on a co-operative or dairy basis. I am also aware of the suggestion that 50 per cent of the quota should be reserved for new entrants. However I will not be making any decisions on the distribution of any additional quota until the Council's deliberations are concluded. I can, however, say that my main concern will be to give priority to certain categories of smaller scale producers and new entrants.
