Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Murphy and Dr. Ó Céidigh for attending and answering the questions. I apologise on behalf of the Senators who had to leave the meeting for a vote in the Seanad and thank you on their behalf as well.

It is important to bear in mind that the National Milk Agency is charged with ensuring there is an adequate supply of liquid milk to consumers. The Irish consumer has consistently expressed a preference for fresh milk, through their purchasing, and it is the agency's role to ensure there is an adequate supply all year round so we are not obliged to take the route of having non-fresh milk. That is not wanted. It would be an irony if milk production increased by 50% and we could not buy fresh milk in this country. It would make no sense.

There is a greater challenge when one must factor in the variable of the Northern Ireland supply, which might not be as variable as one might think but which is outside the agency's control. It must be factored in. As Deputy Ó Cuív pointed out a long time ago, if the UK ran out of its own supply of fresh milk and decided to take milk for the UK from Northern Ireland, as it could do and pay a premium for it, that would goose up the supply here. We should not under-estimate the watching brief the agency must maintain on the supply chain for liquid milk.

I will suspend the meeting to allow the witnesses to withdraw and the Minister and his officials to take their seats.