Colm M. Hilliard
Ceist:214 Mr. Hilliard asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry his views on the present system of export refund cutbacks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4257/95]
Written Answers. - Export Refund Cutbacks.
Responsibility for managing the export refunds system rests with the EU Commission in consultation with the relevant management committees.
The Department monitors developments in this area, which is a critical one for Irish processors and producers, very carefully, in order to have as important an input as possible into the decision making process. My view on the policy in this regard is that, in the light of price levels on third country and EU markets, refunds should be set at levels which allow Union exporters to trade viably. This implies,inter alia, that refunds can increase if third country prices fall and decrease if those prices increase. In general, recent adjustments in refund levels were in line with that principle. I have, however, two concerns, one specific and one general. The specific one relates to the reduction to zero in the refund on boneless pigmeat exports in the context of the new aids to private storage scheme. In the context of the current state of the EU market this decision was in my view unjustified or at least premature and I will continue to press this view on the Commission. My general concern is to ensure that recent changes in refunds arising from the strength of third country markets and from heavy pre-fixation levels in the EU will be reversed if and when prices on those markets disimprove. I raised this point strongly at the last meeting of the Council of Agriculture Ministers and got a sympathetic response from the Commission.