Watch: Any derogation agreement must be 'workable' for farmers - Heydon
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has said he is adamant that any agreement which may be reached between Ireland and the European Commission on the nitrates derogation must be "workable" for Irish farmers.
However Minister Martin Heydon said he currently agrees with EU Commissioner Jessika Roswall that there "is more work to be done" in order to secure a continuation of the nitrates derogation.
The EU Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy visited Ireland last week to personally see the progress that has been made in relation to sustainability and water quality.
The commissioner's key message to Irish farmers was that while very important work had been done in relation to water quality "it still needs to continue".
"A lot has been done, more needs to be done," she stated.
According to Minister Heydon the visit by Commissioner Roswall gave her the opportunity see at "first hand the great work that happens here with our farmers".
He told Agriland that he understands the "constraints" that the commissioner has to operate within and her perspective in relation to Ireland's water quality.
Minister Heydon said during the commissioner's one day visit to Ireland last Friday (November 7) he stressed that any nitrates derogation "solution" had to work for Irish farmers.
He said that any solution would also need to protect farmers, be legally robust and practical.
"Since I became minister back in January the nitrates derogation has been my number one priority.
"The commissioner got to understand our perspective during her visit around the need for a solution and for the deregation to continue beyond the end of this year - but also the need for one that's workable and that's really important because conditionality of any agreement, obviously is the detail that really matters.
"If we are to get an extension and that's what we want is an extension, we want one that can work for farmers, that can continue to deliver for the environment like our farmers have been doing and want to continue to do," Minister Heydon added.
Family farms
Meanwhile the chair of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food Aindrias Moynihan told Agriland that he also emphasised to Commissioner Roswall the importance of the derogation to family farms.
He said it was also highlighted to the commissioner during her visit why Ireland's grass based industry is "so unique".
Deputy Moyhihan said Commissioner Roswall heard about the "huge effort that so many farmers have been making over recent years to improve water quality, and the results that are following through on that".
He added:“All too often, when we think of derogation, there's a perception that this is some very large factory farms.
"Nothing could be further from the truth on it. These are family farms, so many of them.
“They're producing top quality, and they're doing it in a way that's so much better than right across anywhere else in Europe".
Deputy Moynihan said that he is also “very conscious” that “there would be a need for a workable solution” for farmers.
