asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state (a) the date on which a special survey was made by an officer of his Department in the areas of Glenoe, Pallas and Stack's Mountain, North Kerry, with a view to investigating the need for erecting a creamery separating station there, (b) the result of the survey, and (c) whether a licence will be issued for the erection of a creamery in the district in question, and, if so, when, or whether, in the alternative, the facilities of a travelling creamery will be provided to alleviate the present hardships caused to milk producers in these areas.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - North Kerry Creamery.
(a) The survey to which the Deputy refers was carried out over the period from January to March, 1951.
(b) The survey disclosed that the bulk of the milk supplies in the district was already being supplied to the cream separating stations at Kilflynn and Dromclough, owned by Abbeydorney Co-operative Dairy Society Limited, and Lixnaw Co-operative Creamery Limited, respectively, and that the quantity of milk available would not be sufficient to render the operation of either a new cream separating station or a travelling creamery in addition to the existing cream separating stations an economic proposition. Of a total of 70 farmers in the district who supplied milk to the two societies, 29 were within a distance of three miles from creamery premises, 28 between three and four miles, and 13 between four and five miles.
(c) As a result of the survey, the decision was taken at the time not to grant a licence to either of the two societies concerned to establish a cream separating station in the district or to provide a travelling creamery, and I am not aware of any circumstances which would warrant my altering that decision now. I can only suggest that the needs of the farmers in this district who live at undue distances from creamery premises would best be met by the provision of lorry services for the cartage of their milk to the two existing cream separating stations and, if possible, the delivery to them at the same time of pasteurised separated milk.