asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will make a statement on the implementation of the milk cessation scheme by the EC Commission.

This scheme is being examined by the Council of Agricultural Ministers at present. In these negotiations I will be seeking to achieve the best possible result for the Irish milk industry. The outcome of the negotiations will not be known for some time.

Will it affect this year's production of milk?

I do not think so. We must await the outcome of the negotiations.

Has the Minister any plan for a national scheme?

I replied to that earlier and said that certain difficulties had arisen because of disagreement among co-operative societies and because the Commission will only agree to a scheme on a purely national basis—they will not accept a scheme based in a co-operative area.

Is the Minister prepared to consider the introduction of a national scheme?

I am encouraging the ICOS to introduce a scheme, but in recent days difficulties arose which make it look unlikely that a national scheme will be formulated in the near future. I hope those difficulties can be overcome but, as I pointed out to Deputy Leonard, there is a possibility that there would be an outflow of milk from the northern co-operatives to some of the southern co-operatives and that would create a very serious problem.

I am afraid it will be too late if the Council of Ministers agree to the cessation proposal for any national scheme. Time is running out. We have lost 18 months already.

It is very important that we have a national scheme to pre-empt the possibility of the EC scheme. However, serious difficulties have arisen and are causing a definite problem.