asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will give the amounts of extra milk quotas allocated to milk producers in each of the years between 1984 and 1989 inclusive; the number of farmers (a) below 5,000 gallons (b) between 5,000 and 10,000 gallons (c) between 10,000 and 20,000 gallons (d) between 20,000 and 40,000 gallons (e) between 40,000 and 60,000 gallons (f) between 60,000 and 80,000 gallons (g) between 80,000 and 100,000 gallons and (h) exceeding 100,000 gallons in each of the years.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Milk Quotas.
13.
The quota system in Ireland is operated on a purchaser, that is, co-operative or dairy basis. Details of quotas of individual producers are not held by my Department. I do not therefore have the breakdown requested by the Deputy.
I can state however that under the restructing scheme which I introduced in the 1988-89 quota year, under which special priority for the purchase of quotas without land was accorded to small-scale producers, some 37 million gallons of quota has been re-allocated on a permanent basis to these special category producers. I think the House will be glad to know that.
I would like to ask the Minister if in framing his reply the current one per cent and 11 million gallons were not taken into account.
When I framed my reply?
Yes.
My reply was framed in the knowledge that the one per cent will become available as I indicated.
The one per cent, the 11 million, is retrospective for farmers to 1 April 1989. In this current year co-operatives have penalised small farmers who exceeded their existing milk quota which is not their realistic milk quota because an application of one per cent and a portion of 11 million gallons will subsequently have to be transferred to those people to determine what their real quota is.
A question, please, Deputy.
In view of that I ask the Minister to approach the co-operatives to seek to have such penalties refunded untill the proper quota of such farmers is determined and there can be a final decision because this is a real hardship on small farmers. The co-operatives can carry it until the real situation is determined.
I acknowledge the relevance of what the Deputy says. Between the one per cent extra quota and the 1.9 per cent which comes into place under Mulder, this year we will have approximately 2.9 per cent extra quota. That should have a considerable beneficial effect on all producers, particularly the small ones. I take the point the Deputy has made and have been in contact on the basis he suggests.
Irrespective of how the 11 million gallons is divided, it will be the production of half a cow. Many people around the country believe they are going to get 4,000 or 5,000 gallons when it is just not possible, and the Minister should say that.
Regarding the 37 million gallons under the restructured scheme, let us be clear that farmers had to pay for it. I think the reason for Deputy Higgins's question was to find out what size farmer was getting that milk. What is wrong is that a huge number of farmers are under a certain quota who are not able to pay for the restructured milk even if it is handed over to them.
The Deputy must proceed by way of supplementary question.
It depends on who gets the 11 million gallons.
We are having statements, not questions.
I cannot be impressed at the Deputy's belated concern because when the Deputy's party were in Government they got 4.5 per cent extra from the Commission and they made not the slightest provision for these categories in 1984.
They gave 8 per cent to the west.
Because of their failure to do that I have made these significant adjustments now.
(Interruptions.)
Let us hear the Minister.
The Labour Deputies appreciate I am now undoing what the Deputy's party failed to do.
You are undoing a lot, there is no doubt about that.
(Interruptions.)
Order. Deputy Connaughton will have to restrain himself, Deputy Leonard also.
I assure the House that I hold no brief for the past Government and have no axe to grind for or against the present Government. The Minister's reply to the main question is extraordinary in so far as——
A question please, Deputy Stagg. This is Question Time.
Do the Minister's Department know what number of farmers in Ireland have a 100,000 gallon quota and more? Do they not know the number that have 5,000 in the present year or any previous year? It is extraordinary in the extreme that the Minister should say the information is not available. Perhaps he can blame his predecessors but it is not acceptable to me.
The Deputy might be a bit sensitive about my predecessors because his party were part of the Coalition who ignored those small things.
Against my better judgment.
Let us hear the reply.
They are important nonetheless. The Deputy will see that the question put down by his party colleagues is not asking how many producers there are of a certain category. The question asks if I will give the amounts of milk allocated to them, a different matter completely.
Question No. 14, please.
(Interruptions.)