Nitrates Usage

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 March 2022

Wednesday, 23 March 2022

Questions (238)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

238. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 1999, 2000 and 2001 of 19 January 2022, if the information regarding chemical fertiliser provided for the years 2014 to 2021 will be provided per month for each individual year in tabular form; if he will confirm the quantity of chemical fertiliser produced within the State in each of the years 2014 to 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15492/22]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The table below sets out imports of chemical fertiliser per tonne by month for the years 2014 to 2021 (Source CSO Statistics).

Ireland is a relatively small market in respect of fertiliser sales and their usage compared to many of our EU neighbours. No fertilisers are manufactured in Ireland, resulting in indigenous fertiliser companies being price-takers, dependent on global supply and demand and subject to euro exchange rates against the US dollar and other currencies.

Chemical fertiliser