asked the Minister for Agriculture the number of farmers participating in the milk recording scheme in 1981 and 1982; and if he has any plans to increase this number.

The numbers of farmers who participated in the milk recording scheme in 1981 and 1982 were 1,100 and 1,280 respectively.

The milk recording service is currently being reorganised and I am confident that as a result there will be an increase in the number of farmers participating in the scheme.

Would the Minister agree that that figure related to the total number of farmers in a scheme where it is necessary to keep records, that the average yield per lactation is about 680 gallons and that this is disgracefully low? Something will have to be done. At present farmers have problems with individual weighings, pipeline milkers and so on, and it is very important that there be an examination and a monitoring of the yields.

As the Deputy is aware, it appears that the effectiveness of this scheme will be greatly increased this year. An in-depth study group began a report in 1977 and a number of factors were taken into account, one of which was that the milk recordings should be the responsibility of an independent co-operative. As a result, an Irish Dairy Records Co-operative has come into existence. In addition it was important that there should be headquarters services and laboratory analysis and that on-farm recording should be financed by the State as well as by the dairy industry and participating farmers and that this on-farm recording should be carried out by part-time contract recorders who are paid on the basis of a fee related to the herd size.

In answer to Deputy Leonard, there is no doubt that the indications are at the moment that this will be much more widespread. I would accept what Deputy Leonard said: it is important in the national interest that milk recording should be widespread and that as many farmers as possible should be given the chance of participating, and this is exactly what is happening.

(Limerick West): May I ask the Minister whether his Department had any discussions with the ACOT advisory services on this scheme and if so the outcome?

As far as I am aware the primary negotiations were conducted with the ICOS. It appears that they are the umbrella organisation under which this is being geared. As far as ACOT are concerned, I will inform the Deputy later exactly what has happened.