Vol. 536 No. 3
61 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the arrangements he has made for the allocation of the remaining 11.5 million gallons of Agenda 2000 milk quota for the current marketing year; the categories of farmers who will benefit; when he expects the final allocations to be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13899/01]
In view of the quota difficulties arising for many producers from the foot and mouth disease restrictions I am adopting a prudent approach on the definitive allocation of the 11.5 million gallons of additional quota under Agenda 2000 which is available from 1 April 2001. My Department is preparing a scheme which will make milk quota available on a temporary basis to certain producers who find themselves under serious quota pressure as a result of the foot and mouth disease restrictions on animal movement. Strict criteria will apply to these allocations.
I have decided to proceed with a permanent allocation of 1,300 gallons quota to younger farmers from the Agenda 2000 quota. This will be allocated to approximately 3,000 producers who benefited from the 5 million gallons scheme which operated last year and it will bring the total allocation of the majority in this group of producers up to 3,000 gallons each from the Agenda 2000 agreement. The permanent allocation of the remainder of the 11.5 million gallons will be made when I have completed legal consultations on the possibilities open to me. In that context I am looking at what can be done for certain categories of development farmers.
What further discussions have taken place between the Minister and/or his Department and representatives of the Milk Quota Rights Group? Has it been possible to get a clearer or more definitive idea of the number of people who would be entitled to be considered on the basis of a claim made by that organisation and if, on that basis, the Minister will agree to make an allocation to such people?
Yes, a number of consultations have taken place with this group and I understand it has an initial membership of 1,200 farmers who participated in the farm modernisation scheme and rescue package in the early 1980s. I understand this number has now increased to 3,000. Essentially what is happening is that I have been in consultation with the Attorney General and his office and I hope and expect that those consultations will be finalised fairly shortly because I am anxious to make a definitive allocation. However, I want to do so on the basis of comprehensive legal advice from the Attorney General.
When was the last consultation between either the Minister or his officials and the group and what was the outcome?
I am not sure of the precise date but I know that officials in the milk quota section of the Department had a number of consultations with the group. I also know that the Oireachtas Committee met the group some months ago and that there were a number of public meetings throughout the country as well. Deputy Dukes raised this issue during a Private Members' debate some months ago and I said I would endeavour to find an equitable resolution to the matter based on legal advice to me. That is what I am pursuing at present and I hope to have it concluded fairly shortly.
Can the Minister give us any indication of the timeframe in which he hopes to arrive at a conclusion on this matter?
On 12 April I met the Attorney General and his officials and we agreed we would bring this to a conclusion as soon as possible. It is intended to hold a further meeting with the Department's legal advisers in relation to the scheme in the next week. We will be in a position to reach a conclusion within a number of weeks.
I thank the Minister for that information, although I have further queries about the remaining aspects of my original question. Can the Minister give us an idea, even a broad one, of how much of the available quota is likely to be required to meet the need of those under pressure because of the retention of stock? Is it possible to guess how much of the available quota will be required for that purpose?
It is difficult to make such an estimate. I had a discussion with the milk quota section of my Department this morning and I was informed that approximately seven million gallons of milk will be available following the allocation to younger farmers. It is intended to use some, but not all, of this quota to make temporary allocations. The total quantity of milk allocated as part of a temporary scheme following restrictions and the locking up of farmers who have to hold on to heifers in calf will be confined to farmers who had a verified number of additional dairy cows. The yield will be fixed at five gallons per cow, the period covered will be the period of restriction plus 30 days to make desired alternative arrangements. Part of the available seven million gallons will be used, but it is impossible to tell how much until applications have been received.
