Vol. 407 No. 3
48 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline, in respect of 1990 the total cost to (1) the Exchequer and (2) the EC of the hiring of storage space for holding Irish dairy or meat products in intervention; the expected cost during 1991; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The 1990 storage costs in respect of all products — beef, butter, skim milk powder and cereals — was £17 million and the corresponding EC receipt was £14 million i.e. a deficit of £3 million.
In so far as 1991 is concerned while the revised Estimates for my Department for this year provide for an overall expenditure figure of £85 million in respect of the financing of the Common Agricultural Policy, including payments in respect of storage, with a corresponding overall receipt figure of an identical amount, it would be misleading at this stage to attempt to provide a breakdown of the storage element given that it is not possible to estimate either the quantities of products which will be bought into or sold out of intervention this year.
