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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 24 Apr 1997

Vol. 478 No. 3

Written Answers. - Cereal Growers' Register.

Joe Walsh

Ceist:

128 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the steps, if any, he has taken with the EU Commission and the Council of Agriculture Ministers to introduce a growers' register which would protect the interest of individual growers in view of the risk that Ireland may exceed its national base area for grain in 1997. [11022/97]

The EU Commission has proposed an amendment to Council Regulation (EC) No. 1765/92 governing the support system for producers of arable crops to allow overshoot penalties to be confined to sub-base areas responsible for the overshoot. I have requested a further change which would provide for individual producers to be penalised on the basis of an increase in their average registered production area over a three year period.

Other member states have also requested changes to the support system and all are being considered at present by the Council of Agriculture Ministers.

While the establishment of a growers register will only be relevant if and when the necessary changes to EU legislation are agreed, I am making arrangements to have this register in place at the earliest possible date in anticipation of these changes.

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