Vol. 444 No. 3
83 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the status and performance of the Dublin District Milk Board; the financial position of the Dublin District Milk Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The Dublin District Milk Board was established by Order under the Milk (Regulation of Supply and Price) Act, 1936 to regulate the supply and price of drinking milk in the Dublin area. After an indication from the EU Commission that the board's regulatory activities were contrary to EU law, the Government decided to abolish both the Dublin and the Cork boards and replace them with a National Milk Agency. A Bill to give effect to that decision was circulated earlier today.
Over the years, the Dublin District Milk Board has developed ancillary businesses such as artificial insemination of cattle, milk recording and mastitis control. The Government have also decided that these businesses should be sold. Arrangements to protect the interests of the staff involved were accepted by the staff on 24 January 1994.
The board has been incurring losses each year from 1989 to 1992: total losses for those years amounted to some £468,000. Audited accounts for 1993 are not yet available.
