Vol. 522 No. 2
172 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the policy position which he adopted at the EU Agriculture Council meeting in December 1998 when the continuance of the social butter scheme was discussed; and if the Government has reviewed the possibility of continuing this scheme from Exchequer funding. [18525/00]
I had made a request to the EU Commission in 1998 that the scheme for the sale of butter at reduced prices to persons receiving social assistance which was to end on 31 December 1998 should be continued. I therefore welcomed the Commission's proposal to extend it for a further year, even though the level of aid was being further reduced. It was clear to me, however, that no further extension beyond that would be proposed and a number of delegations were prepared to go along with the one year extension only on the basis that it was the final one.
The new Council regulation on the common organisation of the market in milk and milk products agreed under Agenda 2000 did not provide for the scheme beyond January 2000. There was, therefore, no legal basis for continuing the scheme beyond that date.
There are no plans to fund such a scheme from the Exchequer.
