asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state if his attention has been drawn to a circular letter, dated 30th April, 1945, from Lucan Dairies, Limited, Parkgate, Dublin, to their milk suppliers in which it is stated that the manufacture of milk by Lucan Dairies would solve the seasonal problem of surplus milk; and, if so, he will state if he proposes to allow Lucan Dairies to manufacture milk, or what action he intends to take in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Seasonal Milk Surplus.
The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, Lucan Dairies Limited, in a letter to my Department, bearing the same date as the circular letter referred to, stated that they were prepared to take surplus milk coming from the sale area provided that it was sold to them at a reasonable price for manufacturing purposes. In reply, my Department informed the firm that I was not disposed to take any action which would have the effect of enabling distributing firms to purchase milk from producers at less than the prices prescribed from time to time by Orders made under the Milk (Regulation of Supply and Price) Acts. In their circular letter to milk suppliers, Lucan Dairies, Limited, said that they had done everything possible to persuade the Government to allow them to manufacture surplus milk and if the Government agreed the milk suppliers' trouble would be easily solved. The firm did not, however, intimate that an essential part of their proposed solution was the purchase of surplus milk "at a reasonable price for manufacturing" which in effect would mean a price less than the appropriate statutory minimum price. I considered that this reticence in regard to the price aspect of their proposal was not proper and the firm were so informed.
I am informed by the Dublin District Milk Board that other distributing firms make satisfactory arrangements in co-operation with the board for the disposal of surplus milk purchased from their suppliers.