asked the Minister for Agriculture the proposals, if any, to introduce a feed subsidy on a limited scale to assist hill sheep farmers whose livelihood is threatened by continuous sheep losses.

I have no proposals to introduce a feed subsidy for hill sheep farmers. Market stability is a primary need of all sheep farmers and the introduction of a satisfactory common organisation of the market for sheepmeat would further ensure this and greatly benefit the whole sheep industry. Consideration of the Commission's proposals for a sheepmeat market organisation is now at an advanced stage and I would hope that agreement can be reached by the Council of Ministers before the end of this year.