asked the Minister for Agriculture the number of new entrants to milk production who have applied for milk quotas; and the reason for the delay in allocating milk quotas to individual creameries for the current milk quota year.

Approximately 1,800 eligible new entrants applied for additional quotas out of the special reserve I set up some months ago.

The Department were unable to allocate these quotas until the necessary returns were received from all purchasers. The final returns, which included two of the major co-operatives, were only received in the past week. These are now being processed and all purchasers will be notified of their allocations over the next few days.

Has the Minister checked out the bona fides of the 1,800 new entrants? It is quite late to be setting out quotas with three-quarters of the quota here gone. Will the Minister give an assurance that individual creameries will get their quotas straight away to allow them advise individual suppliers?

I share the Deputy's concern that people have been left waiting so long due to some creameries being very slow in making returns. Two major co-operatives only came in with returns as late as last week despite repeated requests to come in earlier. The Strand Dairies in Clonakilty were in on 12 August and if more people followed that example we would be in a position to allocate the extra milk by now. In reply to the initial part of the question, there were 2,150 applicants under the heading "New Entrants". Obviously 350 of those were disqualified and there are 1,800 regarded as being eligible.

I would ask Deputies to keep their questions short.