Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has asked stakeholders impacted by the likely reduction of the nitrates derogation for their views on potential “flexibilities” to ease the impact of this.
These views, to be submitted via the Agriculture Water Quality Working Group, will be taken to the European Commission as part of the minister’s engagement with the commission on the issue.
Speaking this afternoon (Wednesday, July 19), the minister said: “The recent EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] report on the outcome of the two-year water quality review, which was required as a condition of Ireland’s current derogation, yielded a hugely disappointing result.”
Minister McConalogue said that the result of the report came despite “efforts of the agricultural sector, and puts our challenge into stark reality”.
Last year, the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine secured a new nitrates derogation covering the period 2022 to 2025.
Due to declines in Irish water quality since the last derogation was negotiated in 2017, these negotiations resulted in increased conditionality being attached to the latest derogation.
Minister McConalogue commented: “Officials from both my department and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage continue to engage with the commission in respect of the EPA report and its impact on the Nitrates Action Programme (NAP).
The minister said that officials from both departments had invited officials from the commission to Ireland to “see actions being taken on the ground”.
“These actions include those being taken by farmers as well as investment by the state, including the recently announced €60 million by government in an innovation programme on water quality, and ongoing work of the ASSAP [Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme],” Minister McConalogue said.
However, he did not say whether commission officials had accepted this invitation.
The minister continued: “While my officials are actively engaging with the commission to seek flexibility, the first step was to engage with those impacted. To advance this, the Agriculture Water Quality Working Group, which has been intensively meeting over recent weeks, met again this week.
“At this meeting, stakeholders were asked to submit views regarding flexibilities that they felt should be sought in terms of the commission requirement to reduce the limit for derogation farmers from 250kg of livestock manure nitrogen (N) per hectare to 220kg N/ha.
“I know how important the derogation is to those who use it and I want to ensure that it is protected and maintained. We must work together to secure productive, efficient stocking rates for Irish farmers for the years ahead,” Minister McConalogue added.