Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Feb 1997

Vol. 474 No. 3

Written Answers. - Intervention Beef.

Mary Coughlan

Question:

266 Miss Coughlan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will obtain derogation from the European Community in respect of the new weights for intervention beef to be imposed in the week beginning 27 January 1997 for beef farmers in whose counties the Russian beef ban appertains in view of the fact that there will be particular difficulties in March 1997 for the sale of heavy cattle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3013/97]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. Yates)

The weight limits for beef intervention intake for the period January-March 1997 as agreed by the beef management committee last November are as follows:

January tenders	—	380 kg
February tenders	—	370 kg
March tenders	—	360 kg

Since the beginning of the BSE crisis last March up to the end of December I have succeeded in securing the most flexible intervention arrangements with regard to weight limitations and eligible categories, despite the strong reservations of the Commission and most member states. These were significant factors in underpinning market prices in 1996.

I have sought equally flexible arrangements for 1997 and detailed proposals have been put to the EU Commission. While the Commission has reduced the weights for the first quarter I have succeeded in getting a derogation for the 04 category for Irish producers for this period.

While the extension of the export restrictions by the Russian authorities is regrettable, I am confident that the full Russian demand for Irish beef in 1997, which will be significant, will be met by counties not involved in the restrictions.

Producers in the restricted counties should not be significantly affected as the domestic and other markets which account for over 70 per cent of our production remain open to beef from those counties.