Vol. 470 No. 5
17 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the plans, if any, he has to initiate an investigation into the affairs of a company (details supplied), particularly in relation to the milk quota situation. [16683/96]
As part of its control of the milk quota system, my Department conducts detailed audits on an ongoing basis at selected milk purchasers. Such an audit was initiated in the company in question earlier this year and is not yet complete.
I will allow one supplementary question.
Does the Minister agree there is a view that many of the farmers who are liable for super-levy are liable through their own fault? Does he also agree, however, that many of them were advised by their co-operatives that there was leeway and, consequently, are not responsible in that sense? Will the investigation he has undertaken establish whether certain farmers in that co-operative received 180,000 extra gallons in quota while other farmers got none?
This is a serious matter and I do not wish to prejudice the outcome of the inquiry. There might be legal proceedings although no decision has yet been taken in that regard. The questions of national quota rules and the operation of the super-levy are involved. When we collect the super-levy we hand the money over to Brussels. The matters to which the Deputy referred are for the supplier and the processor involved. The position is that the processor is obliged under law to impose the levy in accordance with the rules.
That concludes questions for today.
