The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has “failed Irish farmers” when it comes to the nitrates derogation, according to the Independent TD for Kerry, Michael Healy-Rae.
The minister confirmed earlier this week that it is “crystal clear” that the European Commission will not revisit its current derogation decision in relation to Ireland.
This means that some areas in the country will see the nitrates derogation reduced from 250kg of organic nitrogen (N) per hectare to 220kg N/ha primarily because latest water quality results did not show sufficient improvements.
Minister Charlie McConalogue said both he and his department had been involved in detailed discussions with the EU Commission in a bid to seek an extension to the higher allowance until the end of the current period.
But according to Deputy Healy-Rae the minister “has simply failed Irish farmers on the most important stage of all”.
“He left the EU Commissioner for the Environment, Virginijus Sinkevičius, simply brush him aside and as a result by not reviewing the decision diary farmers will have to reduce their herd sizes within the next four months or spend hundreds of thousands looking for land scrambling to comply with the new rules, which are set to change on January 1.
“By not reviewing the decision, dairy farmers will have to reduce their herd sizes within the next four months or spend hundreds of thousands looking for land, scrambling to comply with the new rules, which are set to change on January 1.
“The most disappointing aspect of the whole thing is that no regard was taken for the measures farmers have already taken to improve water quality,” Deputy Healy-Rae said.
Meanwhile, the Rural Independent Group, led by the Independent TD for Tipperary, Mattie McGrath, has also expressed its disappointment over the European Commission’s decision on the nitrates derogation.
Deputy McGrath said: “It is undeniable that the government and the minister for agriculture have faltered in exerting the necessary political pressure on the European Commission to ensure the continuation of Ireland’s current nitrates derogation.”
He described Minister McConalogue’s to engage EU commissioner for the environment as “woefully inadequate” and claimed that he had failed to “prioritise the well-being of Irish family farms”.
“The government has effectively handed over a crucial sector of our agriculture to the EU Commission without securing any reciprocal benefits,” the deputy added.