Vol. 517 No. 2
80 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development his views on whether members of the milk rights group should be compensated to the same extent and on the same basis and subject to the same qualifications as the members of the development plan farmer group which won a Supreme Court case on 4 March 1997. [9374/00]
Following judgments in the Supreme Court in 1997 in favour of a number of plaintiffs, the matter was referred to the High Court for assessment of damages. The High Court has dealt with a number of those cases over recent months. The proceedings in the High Court concern seven plaintiffs in the Duff case and some 100 plaintiffs involved in associated cases.
No special provision has been made in respect of any persons or group of persons who are not party to the proceedings in the Duff case and other associated cases. I have received legal advice to the effect that any proceedings that may be initiated by such persons are barred by the passage of time.
A number of meetings have taken place between officials of my Department and delegates of the milk rights group and a further meeting will take place during the next few weeks.
