Vol. 552 No. 1
232 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will review the application by a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath for additional milk quota on the grounds of hardship due to the particular circumstances of their case, and in this context allocate additional quota; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12003/02]
The allocation of milk quota from the national reserve is granted on the basis of recommendations from the milk quota appeals tribunal. The tribunal is a body established to consider and advise on applications for additional quota from individual producers who have suffered severe hardship in the context of the milk quota system. The person in question submitted an application for additional quota on the grounds of hardship and his application was examined by the tribunal. The tribunal did not, however, recommend an allocation of quota in this case and the person named has been notified of the outcome of his application. While every application to the tribunal is treated in a fair and sympathetic manner it has not been possible, within the constraints of the limited amount of quota available and the sizeable number of applications received, to meet the demands for quota from all applicants.
The person named may apply when application forms for the 2002-03 milk quota year become available. The forms will be available from June 2002 from co-operatives and from the milk policy division, Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
