Bertie Ahern
Question:14 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the assurances, if any, he can give grain growers that the growers' register will be in place for the 1997 harvest. [10737/97]
Written Answers. - Cereal Growers' Register.
Máirín Quill
Question:24 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will have a national register of cereal growers in place before the 1997 harvest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10762/97]
Bertie Ahern
Question:34 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the steps, if any, he has taken to implement the commitment in Partnership 2000 to establish a producer's register of grain growers; and the proposals, if any, he has to put forward in Brussels to make the necessary changes in EU legislation in this regard. [10736/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 24 and 34 together.
The EU Commission has proposed an amendment to Council Regulation (EC) No. 1765/92 governing the support system for producers of arable crops to allow overshoot penalties to be confined to sub-base areas responsible for the overshoot. I have requested a further change which would provide for individual producers to be penalised on the basis of an increase in their average registered production area over a three year period.
Other member states have also requested changes to the support system and all are being considered at present by the Council of Agriculture Ministers.
While the establishment of a growers register will only be relevant if and when the necessary changes to EU legislation are agreed, I am making arrangements to have this register in place at the earliest possible date in anticipation of these changes.