Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 447: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of full-time farmers in County Clare for 2005, 2004 and 2003; the number of part-time farmers in County Clare for the same period; the number of milk quotas sold by Clare farmers since 2000; and where these quotas were sold to. [41595/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The exact information requested by the Deputy is not available. In relation to farm numbers, the Farm Structure Survey provides regional estimates and the table shows the numbers of farmers who had and had not another occupation for the Mid-West region in June 2000, 2003 and 2005 (the latest year currently available).

The Mid-West region comprises counties Clare, Tipperary N.R., Limerick County and Limerick County Borough.

Figures at county level are available from the 2000 Census of Agriculture. There were 6,700 farms in County Clare in June 2000; on 3,600 of these farms, farm work was the owner's sole occupation.

While my Department receives figures annually from milk purchasers on the number of producers selling milk quotas into the restructuring scheme in each co-op area, these figures are not recorded on a county-by-county-basis. Nor is there a direct relationship between quota sellers and buyers, as all quota sold goes into a common 'pool' which is then divided between applicants wishing to purchase quota in that co-op area.