asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps he will take to ensure that EC support measures for cattle are made more favourable for the producer, particularly the winter fattener.
Written Answers. - EC Support Measures.
111.
I have taken a number of steps to ensure that EC support measures are applied for the benefit of the Irish beef industry as a whole. In the context of the reform of the beef regime introduced earlier this year, I obtained the formal recognition of the EC Commission and the Council of Ministers of the importance of the beef industry to the Irish economy. I have continuously and successfully insisted that this recognition should be given practical effect in the way the various support measures are operated. In March of this year we got agreement to the introduction of carcase intervention because of the particular problems encountered by the winter feeder at that time. In September an aids to private storage scheme was introduced. In addition to these specific measures, we have succeeded throughout the peak supply period this autumn in getting agreement at the beef management committee to the purchase of considerable quantities of beef into intervention in Ireland under the tendering system. This culminated in last week's beef management committee's decision where the only bids for steers which were accepted were from Ireland i.e. 16,371 tonnes from the Republic and 1,040 tonnes from Northern Ireland. These support measures have helped to maintain cattle prices at all stages of the production cycle.