Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 19: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to milk quota superlevy fines due to a supply surge so far this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14647/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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With Ireland narrowly avoiding a super levy liability in the 2010/2011 quota year, and with high supply figures in the early months of this quota year, my attention has been firmly focused on the milk super levy situation over the course of the current quota year. In a Press Release as early as the 13 April, 2011, I sought to remind dairy farmers of the need to carefully plan their production activities and to pay close attention to the limitations imposed by the quota regime if they were to avoid potentially damaging super levy fines.

Since that time, I have issued a number of other Press Releases through my Department to dairy farmers to highlight the critical importance of ensuring that their production remains within quota this year.

Both I, and officials of my Department, have also been very active throughout the current quota year in attempting to achieve an adjustment to the quota regime at EU level. Unfortunately, there is not enough support among other Member States to bring about such a change at this juncture.

As we approach the end of the current quota year, I would again urge dairy farmers to continue to take the necessary steps to avoid super levy fines and remind them to put an appropriate production management strategy in place for next year.