asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware that the collection of the levy on "country" butter is very ineffective, so ineffective as to prove almost impracticable, and if he is aware that the result is that merchants who specialise in the Irish home trade for butter are finding it increasingly difficult to get supplies for this trade, and if he will take steps to prevent this dislocation of the home trade.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Levy on Farmers' Butter.
As the Deputy is aware, a provision has been included in the Dairy Produce (Price Stabilisation) Act recently passed for the registration as from a date to be appointed of producer-retailers and distributors of non-creamery butter and rendering it illegal for unregistered persons to engage in the business of selling or acquiring such butter either for resale or for use in a butter factory. This provision, when in operation, will make the liability for levy more general and should remove any existing cause for dissatisfaction.
Arrangements for bringing the proposed system of registration into operation are now nearing completion.
Can the Minister give any idea what the date will be?
Dr. Ryan
Within a couple of weeks.