Social Democrats urge govt to put a nitrates derogation 'Plan B' in place
The government has been urged to take "the blinkers off" and prepare for a future without the nitrates derogation by the Social Democrats.
According to the party's environment spokesperson, Jennifer Whitmore, "the future of farming is not contingent on the derogation".
Instead she believes the real priority "should be moving away from practises that harm the environment and towards a sustainable model of farming".
“Ireland is now the only EU member state applying for a further extension of the derogation – with a decision expected at the end of December.
"Other EU countries which had the derogation have conceded it is incompatible with efforts to protect our rivers, lakes and the life they sustain," the deputy added.
Latest research from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - based on nitrogen concentration data from the first six months of 2025 at 20 representative river monitoring stations -showed nitrogen concentrations had increased by 16% in the first half of 2025, relative to the corresponding six month period in 2024.
According to Deputy Whitmore "this is disastrous for our water quality and biodiversity".
Last week Ireland set out its case for a renewal of the nitrates derogation to the EU's Nitrates Committee, prior to a vote that could potentially take place in December.
The Habitats Directive, which requires EU member states to adhere to strict conservation measures, is to play a fundamental part in Ireland’s bid to retain the nitrates derogation post-2025.
The European Commission this summer told Ireland it "must demonstrate compliance" with the Habitats Directive when granting farmers a nitrates derogation.
The Social Democrats environment spokesperson is highly critical of the government's "sole focus" on retaining a derogation which she believes "is destroying water quality and harming our biodiversity".
"Farmers are again being led to a cliff edge.
"The government is not willing to even accept the possibility of a rejected application and is therefore not putting any Plan B in place.
“If the derogation application ends in failure, what supports will be available to farmers whose entire business model is dependent on it? So far, the government has refused to tell us. This is reckless and inexcusable," she added.
