Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 555: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his views on proposals to abolish milk quota; and its possible effects on the dairy sector here. [32547/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The dairy sector is one of the two most important agricultural sectors in Ireland. The milk quota regime is therefore of critical importance, and its future must be considered in the context of the enormous potential that exists for the sector here to gain from the anticipated growth in global demand for dairy products in the medium to long-term.

I share the general acceptance of the sector here that quotas will be abolished in 2015, but that abolition must be accompanied by a soft landing. This can only be brought about by progressive annual increases in quota and the continuation of market management measures to cater for price volatility during the transition period. The Commission has proposed five annual milk quota increases of 1 per cent from 2009 to 2013. I do not believe this is enough, and have called for more ambitious increases in the period from 2009 to 2014. I will continue to press my EU colleagues and the Commission for a more ambitious approach in the coming weeks as the milk quota aspects of the CAP Health Check negotiations proceed.