Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon has indicated his intention that Ireland will seek a further nitrates derogation after 2028, if water quality improves in the meantime.

This week a key advisory committee in the EU voted to grant Ireland a nitrates derogation under our next Nitrates Action Programme (NAP), which will run from 2026 to 2028.

Speaking to journalists this week, Minister Heydon highlighted the importance of the derogation to Irish farmers, and his view that there is a "very strong rationale" that it continue into the future.

However, the minister also highlighted the need to improve water quality in order for that to happen.

Minister Heydon noted that the decision from the EU Nitrates Committee included language on the potential for derogations after 2028.

"Any minister that has negotiated the derogation in the past has only been able to negotiate the derogation that's in front of them, but there is language...there on future derogations and that will be very much my ambition to have that into the future as well," he said.

"This is delivering for water quality but it is also supporting our farmers and it is proof positive that our farming system in Ireland is very different to the rest of Europe," the minister added.

Minister Heydon also said that the loss of the derogation could have the oppositive effect to improving water quality.

"If you were without the derogation you could actually see a more intensive housing system here more like the rest of Europe, which would be completely counter productive and against what most environmentalists would want to see," he said.

3-year derogation

Minister Heydon said that three years was the "minimum amount of time we needed to carry this out".

"I went into very significant detail [on] could that process be done in a shorter period of time. There were proposals looked at that would have had a midterm review in the three year process, splitting it between one year and two years...something that wasn't acceptable to me," he added.

"What was absolutely critical was that we had enough time to undertake this.

When asked if he would seek a derogation after 2028, Minister Heydon said: "What I am going to do is continue to support our farmers to improve our impact on water quality, and across the government we are going to make sure that Uisce Éireann has the resources to invest in water quality.

"Water quality is a green jersey issue and farmers will play their part absolutely, industry has to play their part, our local authorities, Uisce Éireann, the EPA [Environmental Protection Agency], they will all work together to look to improve water quality across this country," he added.

"I feel strongly that the derogation actually assists our farmers in farming to the very best possible way, and there is a very strong rationale of having that into the future," the minister said.