Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 5 Feb 2002

Vol. 547 No. 3

Written Answers. - Environmental Policy.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

263 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government when the Government will determine nitrate vulnerable zones for Ireland; and when the Government will implement the relevant European Union directives on nitrate use. [3220/02]

Michael Creed

Question:

275 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of nitrate vulnerable zones designated by Teagasc at the end of 2001. [3434/02]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 275 together.

I refer to the reply to Question No. 734 of 30 January 2002.

The nitrates directive has been substantially implemented in Ireland by way of extensive monitoring of nitrate levels in water, assessment of the trophic status of waters, the development and dissemination in 1996 of a code of good agricultural practice to protect waters from pollution by nitrates and by a range of other measures which operate to protect water quality against pollution from agricultural sources. These other measures include the provision of funding under schemes administered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, such as the control of farmyard pollution scheme, the rural environment protection scheme and the farm waste management scheme to support expenditure by farmers on measures for pollution control and environmental protection.

They also include by-laws made by local authorities under the Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts, a wide range of other implementation and enforcement actions taken by local authorities under those Acts, the extension of the integrated pollution control licensing system operated by the Environmental Protection Agency to certain intensive agricultural activities and the introduction of requirements for compliance with good farming practice in the context of agri-assistance schemes administered by DAFRD.

To date, no nitrate vulnerable zones have been designated in Ireland. However, proposals are now being developed for regulations to provide a statutory basis for the application in all areas of established standards of good farming practice. These will give further effect to a number of EU directives on waste and water quality, including the nitrates directive, and generally strengthen and support measures for the protection of the environment. I envisage that the detailed provisions of the regulations will be developed over the coming months in consultation with the main farming organisations and other interested bodies. I have already briefed my Cabinet colleagues on the general position regarding implementation of the livestock manure application limits under the nitrates directive and I intend, following discussions with the main farming organisations and other interests, to report to Government shortly with recommendations in this regard.