Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

It has been brought up directly with the Danish Presidency but it has also been brought up repeatedly directly with the Commissioner by me. The Commission position is straightforward. The Commission states that the Council voted in 2008 on a milk health check which guides policy, and if the Council wants to change that, the Council can do so but that must come from Council, not from the Commission. The Commission has in place a review mechanism at the end of this year for the health check policy and it states that is when we will have an opportunity to do this. Make no mistake, we are trying to progress this issue. We are pushing as hard as we can.

I have been consistent on this and I do not think anyone can accuse me of raising expectations around butterfat correction levels. I have been consistent on this, that this would always be a difficult political ask but that we would continue to try to push the door open on this issue, and we are continuing to do so. However, for this quota year, it will not be a factor. That is the reality.

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