Minister warns about 'complacency coming in' on securing next derogation
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has warned that he is a "little bit concerned that there is complacency coming in" on securing the next nitrates derogation from the European Commission.
Minister Martin Heydon told the Dáil that "people think we will have to get it".
But he cautioned that Ireland has to make its case to "retain the nitrates derogation post 2025".
"We know how important it is. This is absolutely critical for our rural economy, not just for the 7,000 derogation farmers.
"For a tillage farmer or some other farmer besides a derogation farmer, the impact on land availability if the derogation is gone or is reduced further will be really significant," the minister added.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is “currently in the process” of identifying farmers who will have to move to the lower nitrates derogation stocking rate of 220kg livestock manure nitrogen (N) per hectare from December 1,2025.
The Independent Ireland TD for Cork South-West, Michael Collins, had asked Minister Heydon if he would "reconsider the nitrates stocking rate map" and in particular make an adjustment to the Timoleague catchment stocking rate.
Deputy Collins said: "Lowering the stocking rate to 220kg N/ha in additional areas in west Cork will have minimal, if any, impact on water quality.
"The Timoleague catchment has demonstrated nitrates concentration in water does not proportionally increase when the stocking rates increase.
"Will the minister please reconsider the map and make adjustments?"
Minister Heydon said that he had recently met farmers from Timoleague and also acknowledged the "great work that has happened down there".
But, he also told the deputy that nitrates concentrations in the river leaving the Timoleague catchment are "still approximately double what they should be to achieve good ecological status in the adjoining estuary".
"The government is doing everything in its power to make the case at EU level to secure our next nitrates derogation, given our unique grass-based production system.
"Access to the derogation is contingent on improving water quality.
"I cannot leave any weak spot in our case. It is my top priority in Europe to get a derogation beyond the end of this year. I have to implement all the measures we committed to in the previous action programmes," Minister Heydon told the Dáil.
