asked the Minister for Agriculture if, in view of his recent assurances that adequate supplies of milk will be available for the Dublin Sale District during the coming winter, he will state whether representations were made to him recently regarding a shortage of supplies in Drogheda; whether, as a result of such representations, an officer of his Department, or a representative of the Milk Board visited Drogheda district in an effort to procure supplies; and if he will state who the official was, the result of his visit, and whether arrangements were finally made whereby a large distributor in Dublin undertook to provide supplies for Drogheda to meet the deficiency.

Representations were made to me recently regarding an apprehended shortage of milk supplies for the town of Drogheda. No shortage did, in fact, take place. While I do not appear to have any particular responsibility in this matter, I caused inquiries to be made and ascertained that some small quantity of milk which ordinarily was supplied to Drogheda was diverted to a Dublin wholesale firm. Arrangements were made by the Dublin District Milk Board, in cooperation with the local authority, to have the apprehended deficiency in supply made good from other sources.

Will the Minister say what the amount of the deficiency was?

I cannot say, but it was very small.