Vol. 416 No. 7
97 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his attention has been drawn to the proposals emanating from Brussels to reduce the beef herd by way of slaughter of calves immediately after birth; whether such proposals have been conveyed to him by the EC Commission, and if he will make a statement on the matter.
As part of its comprehensive package of measures to reform the Common Agricultural Policy presented on 29 October 1991, the EC Commission has proposed the introduction of a processing premium in respect of male dairy breed calves slaughtered before they are ten days old. The amount of premium proposed is 100 ecu or £87.88 per calf. The Commission's justification for this scheme is to remove surplus animals from the market and to improve quality of production since milk breeds do not yield a product of desirable quality. This proposal has been opposed by a number of delegations, including Ireland, on the grounds that it does not effectively deal with the current problems in the sector. The latest Presidency paper, circulated this week, provides for the acceptance of lightweight animals for intervention as an alternative to the slaughter premium.
The Common Agricultural Policy reform debate is ongoing at EC level and these proposals are again being discussed by the Council of Agriculture Ministers in Brussels this week.
