Vol. 474 No. 6
252 Mr. M. Kitt asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when EU compensation for green pound revaluation will be paid; if it will be matched pound for pound by the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3705/97]
The provision of compensation for green pound revaluations must obtain the approval, in the form of a regulation, of the Council of Ministers on foot of a proposal from the EU Commission. The relevant proposal has not yet been submitted by the Commission to the Council.
The national measures for allocating that compensation to producers must be submitted by the member state to the Commission for approval, after the adoption of the regulation by the Council.
At this stage the earliest practicable time for the Council to adopt a regulation in relation to this matter is the Council meeting fixed for 17 to 19 March. The question of national funding does not arise until the Council has taken a decision.
