Vol. 562 No. 1
259 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he has received correspondence on behalf of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath; if he will take steps to ensure that the points raised therein are resolved in favour of this person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5703/03]
My Department has received correspondence on behalf of the person named. Milk Quota transactions are governed by European Communities (Milk Quota) Regulations 2000. Regulation 9 states that a lessee of land and quota may, on expiry of a lease, purchase the leased quota with or without the land provided that the lease in question existed prior to 13 October 1999 and expired on or after 31 March 2000. It also states that this possibility is open only to either the original lessee or a person who has become entitled to the lessee's interest in the lands by way of inheritance.
I understand that the person named entered into a lease agreement involving land and milk quota on 30 March 2000 for a period of five years from that date. Accordingly, as the lease agreement came into effect after 13 October 1999 and furthermore, as the person who wishes to acquire the quota without the land is not the original lessee or his successor, this transaction cannot be approved. However, if the lease was to be terminated the quota would revert to the named person and if he wished to dispose of that quota he could avail of the option to sell it into the 2003 milk quota restructuring scheme.
