asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will clarify his speech of 4 October 1984, at the opening of a dairy promotion conference in Dublin when he said that reduction of EC milk output, together with restraints on excess production in other major dairying areas, such as the US, should contribute to a significant improvement in the international market for dairy products; and if it is necessary to qualify that statement to include consideration of the immediate and grave danger besetting the Irish economy generally in view of the importance of dairying.
Written Answers. - Dairy Markets.
473.
The extract from my speech to which the Deputy refers conveys my belief that as the output of dairy products by major producers such as the Community and the United States is more closely aligned to market demands for these products, there must necessarily be an improvement in the world dairy market. It will obviously be some time yet before a perceptible market improvement occurs and prices rise from their current depressed levels. However, given recent predictions that milk output this year in both the Community and the United States will show a 3 per cent decline when compared with 1983, it is clear that we are already on the road to restoring makrket balance.
In the longer term, this is in the best interest of all concerned with the Irish dairy industry and I naturally hope that the industry will take full advantage of the improved market conditions when these come about.