asked the Minister for Agriculture if, in view of the necessity for planning ahead, he will consider fixing the price of milk for five years to ensure stability in the dairying industry.

In the reply which I gave to questions asked by Deputies O'Reilly and Dillon on 18th July last, I stated that the five-year guarantee of creamery milk prices of ? per gallon in summer and ¼ per gallon in winter as from 1st May, 1951, has not been cancelled. The present Government increased these prices to ¼ and ? per gallon for the period 1st July, 1951, to 30th April, 1952.

I am not in a position to say anything more specific pending the result of the investigation of the cost of production of milk which, as already announced, I am arranging to have carried out by an impartial authority.

Will the Minister say if the 1d. a gallon increase for this year is purely a political sop?

It will be reviewed next year.