Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 May 2024
229. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the preparatory work being undertaken and the measures being implemented to ensure retention of the nitrates derogation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20087/24]
View answerThe Government is committed to seeking an extension to Ireland's Nitrates Derogation post-2025. That process will commence formally later this year, however engagements with the European Commission are ongoing and are expected to continue throughout 2024 and 2025.
The Commission have been clear that, in order to maintain the Nitrates Derogation, where water quality is good it must be at least stable, and where water quality is less than good it must be improving.
With this in mind, some of the key actions undertaken to date are set out below.
Last May, to fully engage stakeholders in the process, I established the Agriculture Water Quality Working Group. This Group has met 15 times to date and will continue to meet in preparation for the next Nitrates Action Programme and the application to extend Ireland's derogation.
In March of this year, I formally launched the 'Farming for Water' EIP with a €60 million budget seeking to incentivise 15,000 farmers in priority areas to implement targeted measures beneficial for water quality.
Under the Interim Review of the Nitrates Action Programme, the Government has brought forward a number of new and strengthened measures with the objective of improving water quality. These proposed changes are currently subject to the Appropriate Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment processes by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. However, one change already communicated to farmers that is not subject to Appropriate Assessment is the change in the timeframes for reporting and verifying livestock manure movements between holdings with that change coming into effect in June of this year.
Accelerated capital allowances for investments in slurry storage continue. My Department recently secured Commission approval for a higher TAMS grant of 70% for investment in storage on farms importing organic nutrients as well as a new separate TAMS investment ceiling for investments in slurry storage.
Earlier this year I directed Teagasc to lead a multi-actor water quality improvement advisory campaign that is expected to also be rolled out very shortly.
Water quality is an issue for everyone and everyone must work together to facilitate improvements in order to retain the derogation.
