asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will make a statement on the present position with regard to the centralisation of the dairy industry in County Kerry and indicate the solution he favours for this problem.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Kerry Dairy Industry.
143.
Agreement has been reached for the sale of the Dairy Disposal Company's properties in County Kerry to a unified co-operative society. Provision has been made that there will be no diminution of the milk supply to the Rathmore processing factory and that the employment of the Dairy Disposal Company's workers in the county will be safeguarded.
Is the Minister aware that in the Rathmore area there is grave unrest due to the fact that the Minister's Department cannot give any guarantee that, in the event of the Rathmore factory acquiring additional milk, this milk can be supplied?
All I can say by way of reply to the Deputy is that I have met the representatives of the workers quite recently in the factory and they are quite happy about the assurances I have given them.
Were the workers aware that the Minister's Department could not take part in any legal negotiations between the Kerry Co-operative creameries and Rathmore?
The workers and the unions representing them were made fully aware of the terms of the agreement.