asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries what grading system can the Irish creamery milk supplier expect to be in operation to determine the quality of milk when Ireland enters the EEC.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Milk Quality Standards.
14.
Certain standards are prescribed for butter and other dairy products purchased by the community's intervention agencies and these, of course, have a bearing on milk quality; but there are as yet no common quality standards in the community for milk as such.
I should like to ask the Minister if it is reasonable to assume that the quality standards obtaining at present in the processing plants here are up to the level of those obtaining on the continent?
I cannot say offhand but as I stated in my reply there is no common quality standard.
Perhaps I should have used the word "comparable". In other words, are we up to the standards obtaining on the continent in the matter of quality?
That is a separate question.
I should like to see if I have any information in my notes that might be of use to Deputy O'Donnell. I think it is a separate mater and, perhaps, the Deputy might put down another question.