The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has confirmed that Ireland is set to make its "first presentation for renewal of the nitrates derogation shortly" to the European Commission.

Minister Martin Heydon said that since the commission's December 2024 Nitrates Committee meeting there has also been "three bilaterals with the European Commission" on the nitrates derogation.

According to the minister, his department advised the EU Nitrates Committee "that in accordance with paragraph 2 (b) within annex 3 of the nitrates directive, Ireland wished to apply for permission to continue applying in excess of 170 kg of livestock manure N per ha from 2026".

Minister Heydon said this would be "subject to a set of conditions that will ensure that application is scientifically justified and will continue to contribute to the achievement of the nitrates directives objectives of reducing and preventing water pollution caused by agricultural nutrients".

In response to a parliamentary question tabled by Fine Gael TD, Noel McCarthy on what "current actions" the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is taking to secure the retention of the derogation, Minister Heydon also pointed to the establishment of the Cabinet Committee on Water Quality.

"This demonstrates the government's commitments to both water quality and retention of the nitrates derogation post 2025," the minister added.

Minister Heydon detailed that his department attends the EU Nitrates Committee meetings and that DAFM together with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage "will continue to engage with the commission to ensure we get the best possible outcome for Ireland post 2025".

He also added that the Irish government wants to ensure that other EU member states, the European Parliament and the European Commission have "a full understanding of the importance of Ireland being able to continue applying in excess of 170kg of livestock manure nitrogen per hectare, and of why Ireland's unique circumstances both justify and necessitate a continuation of that legal provision within the nitrates directive".