Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)

I will not hold up the Minister in trying to answer. In his earlier response to my colleague, Deputy Michael Moynihan, there was a suggestion that the butter fat adjustment may provide a possibility for a partial solution to the serious issue we have looming in Ireland on 31 March 2012. Perhaps the Minister will elaborate on the mathematical calculations that will be involved with that.

My second point is a follow-up to the question asked by Deputy Lawlor and relates to the possibility of finding a solution within the Community or, perhaps, by localising it in the context of a bilateral arrangement with Britain. At present, significant volumes of milk quota have been bought from the UK by farmers in Northern Ireland. My information is that the total quota in the North will not be filled in the current year, although one does not know what might happen next year. The possibility of it being utilised to alleviate the problems of farmers here should be examined. It is on one island, so it is not a question of breaking into mainland Europe to find a solution.

In sections of the agricultural press the possibility of leasing dairy cows to partner farmers in Northern Ireland has been suggested, so the milk can be produced in Northern Ireland. It is a variation on what we are discussing but there appears to be an inherent health risk in the concept of moving dairy cows from farms in Cork, Louth, Offaly, Kildare and elsewhere in the South to farms in Northern Ireland. If we could reach a bilateral arrangement, however, it would help to alleviate the pressure.

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