Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 328: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the access to and availability of sugar beet quota for a new entrant to the sugar processing industry in this country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8037/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the EU sugar regime, each member state has a quota for manufactured sugar. There is no quota for sugar beet. The EU regulations stipulate that the quota must be made available to the sugar manufacturing enterprises in the member state. Accordingly, in Ireland the entire sugar quota is processed by Irish Sugar Limited, which is the only sugar manufacturer in this country.

Under the EU regulations a member state may reduce the "A" and "B" quotas of each sugar manufacturing enterprise by not more than 10% of the "A" quota or the "B" quota as the case may be. The effect of this limitation is that a new entrant to the sugar processing industry in this country could be assigned no more than 10% of the Irish sugar quota.

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 329: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food, in view of the reform of the sugar regime and probable reduction in Irish sugar quota, if it is Greencore, the State or the sugar beet growers who will receive the proposed compensation payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8038/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Commission has not yet produced legislative proposals for reform of the EU sugar regime. However, the Commission's communication of last July, addressed to the Council and the European Parliament, envisages reductions in prices and quotas and partial compensation for beet growers for the proposed reduction in the minimum price of sugar beet. Such compensation would be in the form of decoupled direct payments to be incorporated in the single farm payment. Compensation is not proposed, in the Commission's communication, in respect of quota reduction.