asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if it is intended to raise, at the European Council of Ministers, the Irish Farming Association's proposal to send surplus milk to countries suffering from famine.

I understand that the IFA were informed by the Commission of the European Communities on 4 March 1988 that their proposal was unacceptable on the grounds that it could undermine the super-levy system and that it was unnecessary in the context of the food aid programme.

The Communities food aid programme provides for the supply of very substantial quantities of foodstuffs, including dairy products, to countries affected by famine. For instance in 1987, the quantities of dairy products included in the programme were 94,100 tonnes of milk powder and 27,300 tonnes of butteroil. Furthermore the IFA proposal was based on the assumption of a large excess over quota in Ireland — an assumption which turned out to be incorrect.

In all the circumstances the question of raising the matter formally within the Council of Ministers did not arise.