MEP for the Midlands North West, Maria Walsh has said Ireland needs "time and fairness" when it comes to a decision on retaining the nitrates derogation.

Ireland’s nitrates derogation allows farmers to farm at higher stocking rates, above 170kg livestock manure nitrogen/ha up to 220kg nitrogen/ha, subject to strict rules to protect the environment.

Ireland is the only member state in the EU which currently still avails of such a derogation.

The Fine Gael MEP, who is a member of the EPP political grouping in the EU, said she met with the European Commissioner with responsibility for the environment and water quality, Jessika Roswall on several occasions, including most recently when the commissioner visited Ireland.

Speaking to Agriland at the European Parliament in Brussels, MEP Walsh said that she wants the European Commission to understand that Ireland has a very different farming system to many other member states.

She explained that there needs to be clear guidelines as to how the nitrates derogation is tied into the Habitats Directive in a complementary manner.

"If we have a reduction in the dairy sector and those 7,000 farm families are affected, then every sector [of farming] across Ireland is affected," she said.

"[The commissioner] heard directly from a farm family in Kildare, particularly a female voice, who came back from Australia to share the fact that she's really proud to be a part of the dairy sector and she wants to grow her sector, but she can't do it in two- or one-year increments."

The MEP, who is a permanent member of the European Agriculture Committee said that she and her colleagues are continuing to lobby in Brussels and Strasbourg and are available to provide any "clarity" the commission may request or "any support" agriculture minister, Martin Heydon need.

A recent meeting on this topic organised by the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) in Co. Cork saw more than one thousand farmers turn up to air their concerns and garner the support of Minister Martin Heydon.

At that meeting, Heydon warned of the "additional challenge" in securing the next derogation - proving compliance with the Habitats Directive.

"My department is developing an assessment process that we believe will achieve compliance, and give the commission the reassurances it needs," the minister said.

"This work is not straightforward, given agriculture operates as a complex biological system subject to numerous agronomic, economic and ecological variables."

A decision on whether Ireland will be retain its derogation on nitrates into 2026 and further is expected to be made next month.