(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state when a decision will be reached on the proposed milk super-levy.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Milk Super-levy.
14.
I would hope that a decision can be taken before the end of March. Specifically, I would hope that a decision would be taken on 19 and 20 March when the summit is due to be held. It will, however, be appreciated that this is one of a number of complex issues relating to agriculture and Community financing, all of which must be decided together.
(Limerick West): Is the Minister aware of statements in the media that he has now changed his stance in relation to the negotiations about this very important matter which not alone affects farmers but our whole economy and that the principle of the super-levy is acceptable to him provided we get derogation? Is that the situation? Is the Minister aware that at the Athens Summit certain proposals were made by the Greek Government who then held the Presidency? Will this be the base for negotiating at the Summit on 19 and 20 March?
The Deputy has said that I have changed my stance on this issue. I am not aware of that. I am quite sure I have not but I would be quite happy to hear the Deputy's quotation whereby I have changed my stance. Maybe he had some quotations in front of him.
What activity in relation to this particular aspect has the Minister engaged in since the breakdown of the talks in December 1983? Did he meet the French President on his recent visit to this country? If he did what were the results of the talks with him?
That is a separate question.
I did not meet the French President. I continually meet the French Agriculture Minister, who is present at the Agricultural Council meeting at the moment. The Deputy asked what we had done since the Athens Summit. We have had numerous meetings at Government level and at EEC level. As late as last Monday and yesterday we had one very exhausting meeting lasting over 20 hours primarily on the subject of the super-levy.
May I ask the Minister——
I would point out to Deputy MacSharry that Question No. 14 merely asks when a decision will be reached on the proposed milk super-levy.
It is the most serious subject to come before the House for years.
The question I have to ask arises from that question and the Minister's reply. Can the Minister confirm that the report of this week's Council meetings is correct, as reported in the newspapers, where nine of the ten countries have accepted the introduction of the super-levy proposed by the Commission? If he can confirm this, can be tell the House and the farming community what support there is for the stand he has taken for a derogation for Ireland?
I do not know where the Deputy got that information.
It is reported in today's papers that nine of the ten countries have accepted this.
I would not say that nine out of ten would be true because some countries actually think that the super-levy does not go far enough. They would prefer a price reduction. They want that as an alternative, which we feel would be considerably worse than the super-levy.
There is nothing worse than a super-levy for our farmers.
The Deputy also asked if I am confident that we have support. I feel there is a great appreciation in Europe that we have a very real problem and that we should get special treatment in relation to this.
We all know that there is appreciation and understanding which is a totally different thing from actual support for Ireland for a derogation. Can the Minister give us some outline of the countries that will give that support?
That does not arise out of the question.
It does. It is related to the decision.
I want to be helpful and I want to be informative.
We are trying to be helpful to the Minister.
I will certainly not name specific countries because it would not be helpful at this stage. I will say that a number of countries have been very supportive of our case but some countries oppose any exemption for any country.
(Limerick West): Will the proposals by the Greek Government have to be debated at the commencement of the decisions or will we be back again to square one?
For many countries that is a grey area but it is not so in our case. We are quite definite that the discussions are based on the final position. Any further negotiations will be based on that and we are not going back to the July proposals of the Commission.
The remaining Questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.