Dairy quota transition
Deputy Kirk asks whether transitional regulation will be needed before milk quotas end in 2015; the Taoiseach expects Ireland’s productive dairy sector to benefit and will have the Agriculture Minister address the issue.
I imagine the Taoiseach is aware of the importance of dairy exports to the economic recovery of recent years. The super-levy regime is due to finish in March 2015. Has any thought been given to the issue of the transitional arrangements between now and then? Will it be necessary to bring forward any regulatory change to accommodate any possible transitional arrangements that the Government might be contemplating?
Comment on this
As Deputy Kirk is aware, when they go Ireland will have one of the most productive dairy sectors in the world or on the planet. A considerable amount of money is moving through banks for investment in land, acquisition, leasing of land and the purchase of land because of the importance of this. There is no need for transitional regulatory arrangements as far as I am aware but I will have the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Coveney, respond to Deputy Kirk on that point.