Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 April 2023
119. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what measures he will take financially or otherwise to assist farmers in meeting potential new targets with respect to the new Nitrates Action Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18588/23]
View answerThe purpose of the Nitrates Action Programme, since its introduction in 2006, has been to prevent pollution of waterbodies from agricultural sources and to protect and improve water quality.
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) is the lead authority for the Nitrates Regulations and the Nitrates Action Programme (NAP). My Department works very closely with DHLGH in this regard.
The Government cannot provide funding for farmers to comply with minimum regulatory requirements. However, the Government continues to fund non-regulatory approaches, for example by contributing to the funding of the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) or through the TAMS support for on-farm investments which are available to farmers for a period following introduction of new legal requirements
In addition, a further €60 million has been made available under the CAP strategic plan and for a Water European Innovation Partnership (EIP) and which closed earlier this year . The proposals submitted are currently being assessed.
The objective of this EIP is to reward and incentivise farmers who are willing to apply voluntary measures above meeting regulatory minimum requirements to improve water quality.
The Government has also introduced the accelerated capital allowances for investments in slurry storage facilities. This allows eligible expenditure to be claimed over two years for tax purposes thereby providing another incentive to encourage farmers to invest to improve water quality.
In the long-term our water quality trends will determine whether a continuation of Ireland's Nitrate’s Derogation can be secured from the European Commission. I believe the entire agri-food sector must strengthen its commitment and work together to deliver measures that will drive improvements in our water quality.
I committed to securing the Nitrates Derogation as I believe it plays an important role in supporting productive family farming.
