Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 16 Dec 2003

Vol. 577 No. 3

Written Answers. - Milk Quota.

John McGuinness

Ceist:

186 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will re-examine an application for milk quota in the name of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31312/03]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh):

Allocations of milk quota from the national reserve are granted on the basis of recommendations from the milk quota appeals tribunal. The tribunal is a body established to consider and advise on applications for additional quota from individual producers who have suffered severe hardship in the context of the milk quota system.

The person named submitted an application for additional quota on the grounds of hardship in the 2002-03 milk quota year. However, there was insufficient quota available in the 2002-03 milk quota year to enable the tribunal to deal with all applications received and some, including that from the named individual were held over for consideration in the 2003-04 quota year. The tribunal examined this application in November 2003 but, unfortunately, it did not recommend making an allocation on that occasion. While every application to the tribunal is treated in a fair and sympathetic manner it has not been possible, within the constraints of the limited amount of quota available and the sizeable number of applications received, to meet the demands for quota from all applicants.