asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will state the bulk gallonage delivered to all creameries and processing plants in County Kerry during each of the years 1969-70, 1970-71 and 1971-72; and the anticipated gallonage in 1973.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Kerry Milk Production.
4.
As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with the permission of the Cheann Comhairle, to circulate it with the Official Report.
QUANTITIES of Milk delivered to creameries and processing plants in County Kerry.
|
1970 |
1971 |
1972 |
1973 |
|
|
(estimated) |
||||
|
million |
million |
million |
million |
|
|
gallons |
gallons |
gallons |
gallons |
|
|
1. Whole Milk: |
||||
|
(a) quantity supplied to creameries in Co. Kerry |
59.8 |
60.4 |
65.9 |
72.0 |
|
(b) of which, quantity passed on to processing factories in Co. Kerry |
11.0 |
12.2 |
18.0 |
20.0 |
|
(c) quantity supplied to Co. Kerry processing factories by creameries outside Co. Kerry |
11.1 |
11.2 |
5.8 |
4.0 |
|
2. Skim Milk: |
||||
|
quantity supplied to Co. Kerry processing factories—see note (1) below |
Nil |
Nil |
14.2 |
55.0 |
Notes:
(1) Skim milk as such was not delivered to processing factories in Co. Kerry before mid-1972.
(2) Statistics of creamery milk intake and utilisation are collected by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries on a calendar year basis only.
5.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if the existing processing factories in County Kerry are sufficient for the milk produced in that county; and, if not, if it is intended to have increased processing factories provided.
The capacity of the two milk-processing factories in County Kerry has been expanded recently and the increased capacity now available is considered adequate for the time being.
The provision of further processing facilities in the county is, however, being considered.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary give an assurance that sufficient supplies will be made available to the Rathmore factory?
Yes, we intend doing that. That is the intention of the Department.
How can the Department implement their good intention if the owners of the milk decided to sell their milk elsewhere?
From the information at the disposal of the Department that is unlikely to arise. Adequate steps are being taken to ensure that the two factories in Kerry— the Listowel factory which started last year, and the Cadbury factory—will have maximum supplies to meet their requirements.