Written Answers. - Milk Quota.
Michael Creed
Ceist:
134
Mr. Creed
asked the
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development
if all milk quota owners and producers within the priority categories regardless of their temporary leasing record will be in a position to avail of and purchase additional milk quota under the recently announced changes to the milk quota regime.
[14852/00]
(Mr. Walsh): This year's milk quota restructuring scheme will cater, as a matter of priority, for those producers who had been dependent on temporary leasing over recent years and for those producers who were unable, for reasons outside their control, to renew existing land leases. I decided to structure this year's scheme in this way following consultation with organisations involved in the industry and taking account in particular of the views of the milk quota review group.
It was necessary, when deciding on the priorities for this year, to make particular provision for those producers who would be most directly affected by the change to the new regime and whose position, in the absence of priority access to quota, could be worse than last year.
Of the total pool available for sale under the restructuring scheme, 85% will be allocated to producers who were dependent on temporary leasing over the past three years and to producers who were unable, for reasons outside their control, to renew existing land leases. The remaining 15%, plus any quota remaining unallocated after the entitlements of the special priority producers have been satisfied, will be allocated to all producers who applied for quota under the 2000 milk quota restructuring scheme. These allocations will be weighted in favour of producers in the small and medium size categories.
The temporary leasing scheme will of course, continue to operate and I will announce details of that scheme at a later stage. The operation of the temporary leasing scheme, and in particular the setting of priority categories, will have regard to the outcome of the restructuring scheme.
