Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 261: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the initiative he proposes regarding the looming financial crisis in the dairy sector for farmers who are over quota for the milk year; the contacts which he has initiated at European level on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5281/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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At the outset I want to emphasise that of course the primary responsibility for producing within quota and ensuring the avoidance of super levy rests with every individual milk producer. It is up to dairy farmers, who are familiar with the rules of the quota regime, to make the right decisions and protect themselves from exposure to potentially very damaging fines. The rules are very clear, and were confirmed as recently as last December by the European Commission.

Having said that, I want to see a soft landing for farmers in Ireland and in other Member States. My officials have raised the matter with the commission on a number of occasions in recent months, and I used the opportunity provided by my attendance at the Council of Agriculture Ministers last week to ask the Commission to consider whether a more flexible approach might be adopted for the limited number of Member States, including Ireland, likely to have a super levy problem in the run up to 2015. I also raised the matter in a bilateral meeting I had with Commissioner Ciolos prior to the Council meeting. I intend to continue to raise the issue with Member State colleagues and with the Commission. However, the Commission has resisted attempts to revisit this issue, and there is, in any event, no guarantee that a majority of Member States will support calls for a more flexible milk quota regime. Therefore Irish dairy farmers must continue to operate on the assumption that no further changes will be made to the quota arrangements agreed in the context of the CAP Health Check.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 262: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if in view of the changing profile of dairy farmers he will reconsider the definition of category A and category B milk suppliers which govern entitlement to flexi-milk; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5282/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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All aspects of the milk quota regime are subject to ongoing review by my Department, in consultation with the relevant stakeholders. In the coming weeks a number of matters will be discussed with the Milk Quota Review Group, and while discussion will focus in particular on the outcome of this year's Milk Quota Trading Scheme, the operation of flexi-milk and other schemes will also form part of those discussions.