andMr. Brosnan asked the Minister for Agriculture if, in the allocation of intervention butter at Christmas-time, he will ensure that due preference will be given to social welfare and health board recipients.

Under the EEC Commission regulation which regulates the sale of butter for direct consumption at reduced price no provision is made for giving preference to any particular class or category of consumers. There is no means available to me whereby I could control the retail distribution of the butter in the manner suggested but I am arranging that reduced price sales will commence on 2nd December, 1977, which is a Friday so that recipients of social welfare and health board benefits would not be at a disadvantage in having access to it.