Vol. 422 No. 5
42 Mr. Pattison asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will give details of the introduction for the first time of quotas in the sheep industry; the reason he has decided on 1991 as the base year for these quotas; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
61 Mr. Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if, in relation to farmers who have entered sheep production for the first time in 1992, he will outline whether such farmers have any flexibility in relation to the size of their quota under the ewe premium scheme.
I propose to answer Questions Nos. 42 and 61 together.
The main elements of the Common Agricultural Policy reform in relation to the introduction of a quota for the sheepmeat sector are:
—A producer quota based on ewe premium applications for the 1989, 1990 or 1991 marketing years, one of these to be selected by the member state and notified to the Commission by 31 October 1991; member states to decide on the management of the quota arrangements, within the framework of detailed rules to be decided by the Commission under the Management Committee procedure.
—Maximum flock sizes for purposes of full premium to continue at current levels (1,000 in the Disadvantaged Areas and 500 in the non-Disadvantaged Areas).
—Continuation of the payment of 50 per cent of the premium for animals in excess of the maximum flock size and within the individual producer quota.
—Creation of a national reserve, under detailed Commission rules to be adopted, from 1 per cent of all applications in the quota year. The calculation for individual producers may vary between 1 per cent and 3 per cent. An additional 1 per cent reserve will be created for producers in Disadvantaged Areas.
—Quota system to apply from the beginning of the 1993 marketing year.
I have not yet made a final decision in relation to the quota year to be chosen by Ireland. However, in 1991 the Irish ewe flock was at its highest level ever and the maximum benefit to Ireland would appear to accrue from choosing that year.
Measures to facilitate producers who have received premium for the first time in respect of the 1992 marketing year will be decided by the Commission through the Management Committee procedure.
