Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Feb 2003

Vol. 560 No. 3

Written Answers. - Milk Quota.

Pat Breen

Question:

222 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Clare did not qualify for extra quota for young farmers in 2000 and for the hardship quota; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2607/03]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

The person named applied for additional milk quota under the Agenda 2000 allocation for younger dairy farmers with a quota of less than 35,000 gallons. Unfortunately, on the basis of the information supplied, the applicant did not satisfy the conditions of the scheme and an allocation was not made. It was necessary to set strict eligibility criteria for the allocation of this additional quota because of the limited quantity available.

As regards additional quota on grounds of hardship, the position is that 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 the 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 named submitted an application for additional quota on the grounds of hardship and his application was examined by the tribunal in December 2002. Unfortunately the tribunal was unable to recommend an allocation in this case. While every application is treated in a fair and sympathetic manner, the amount of quota available for allocation is limited in the context of the large number of applications that are submitted and therefore the tribunal is not always in a position to recommend the allocation of quota to an applicant.