asked the Minister if a joint purchasing agency will be established to deal with the effects of the super-levy.
282.
Written Answers. - National Milk Purchasing Agency.
281.
asked the Minister for Agriculture his plans for establishing a national milk purchasing agency.
283.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will make a statement on the milk levy situation and whether or not he proposes to operate a national milk purchasing agency, the reasons for the delay in making a decision as regards this agency and if he will make a statement on the future of dairying in this country.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 281, 282 and 283 together. A National Milk Purchasing Agency was in fact established by the industry in June but its operation is subject to the approval of the EC Commission. My Department requested an early decision from the Commission but while this has not yet been received it is expected very shortly.
As regards the future of dairying in Ireland, the concession that I negotiated allows producers the right to expand this year at close to our normal rate of increase with the possibility of further increases in future years. On the marketing side, I would expect some improvements as the impact of the levy is felt in other member states and as the effects of the international recession decline. It is, of course, now more important than ever that the industry moves away from intervention products towards high added-value consumer products, and I hope that this trend will be accelerated in the future.