asked the Minister for Agriculture if any scheme to pay subsidies to people who opt out of milk production will come into operation in 1977.

A scheme of subsidies for the non-marketing of milk and for dairy herd conversion to operate in 1977 has already been agreed to by the Council of Ministers. Details of the scheme are under consideration in Brussels and an announcement will be made at an early date.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that since the termination of the dairy herd conversion scheme on 31st December, 1974, no other scheme was introduced? Is he also aware that when making representations on behalf of people who intend to discontinue milk production we were told another scheme would be introduced for the people going out of milk? Now, two years later, we are told nothing has been done about it.

That is not so, as I indicated in my reply. The position is that at a meeting in Luxembourg on 29th April, 1977, the Council of Ministers of the European Communities approved in principle a draft regulation introducing a system of premiums, non-marketing of milk and milk products and dairy herd conversion. This scheme, even though the regulations have not been finalised, will be introduced shortly.

Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree that from 1st January, 1975, there has been no scheme? Even now the terms of this scheme have not been circulated. If you ask the Department of Agriculture if there is a scheme for people who intend to discontinue milk production, they will tell you that there is not, but that one will be introduced shortly. That has been going on for over two years.

As I have already indicated, agreement was reached on Friday last for the introduction of this scheme. The Deputy can take it for granted that it will be put into operation within the coming months.

Was it because the question was put down that the Council of Ministers met?

I do not think a question in this Dáil would give rise to a meeting of the Council of Ministers.

Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree that it is a very unsatisfactory situation that Deputies who have been making representations for over two years to the Department regarding a scheme which is supposed to be introduced should be told now that it was introduced two years and four months after the last one terminated and in the interim period persons who wished to go out could not avail of any grant aids or any subsidies and were told all the time that there was a scheme in the offing? Is it not really unfair?

We cannot introduce a scheme on our own because EEC funds will be funding this scheme and we had to get agreement of the other Community countries. Such agreement was obtained and the principle adopted and finalised last week. So, it is quite reasonable to assume that this scheme will be in operation probably in June or July next.

What happened in the last two years?

Order. Deputy Callanan.

Is it a fact that there is no scheme in operation at the moment?

Yes.

This is what we would like to get clear.

There is no scheme and has not been since 1st January, 1975.

Question No. 5.