asked the Minister for Agriculture if he has any proposals for the tighter control of the marketing of sugar substitutes.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sugar Substitutes.
24.
The EEC has instituted a common organisation of the market for isoglucose, the principal product competing with sugar as a sweetener in the manufacture of processed products. Controls on the marketing of this product, therefore, fall within the competence of the Community institutions. The controls at present in force include production and import levies and the suspension of national aids for investment in isoglucose production.
Would the Minister not agree that his party gave a specific undertaking in their election manifesto to introduce tighter controls and would he indicate what action he proposes to take in pursuit of that specific commitment? Secondly, would he state if the arrangements which currently operate in relation to isomerose will continue after 1979 and can he give an assurance that adequate controls will exist into the eighties to provide fair competition for Irish sugar production?
The controls that will operate in the matter of isoglucose— isomerose, I think, is another name for the same product—will be determined by the European Commission and the Council of Ministers. As well as ourselves, a number of our colleague countries, in particular Belgium, Holland and France, have a particular interest in the control of the isoglucose product. It is not foolhardy to expect that the resistance offered by these countries to the endangering of the sugar beet industry will be the same as ours; that is to say, we will resist as hard as we can the manufacture or importation of isoglucose.
We are a long time on this question.
What will the Minister do to fulfil the commitment made by his party?
The Deputy has asked that question several times.
Question No. 25.
We are aware of the problem and we will use all available means to prevent its manufacture or importation.