Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 April 2023
133. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update in relation to Nitrates Derogation and discussions around proposed changes to current levels in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18133/23]
View answerThe Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is the lead authority responsible for Ireland's Nitrates Action Programme (NAP) and the associated Regulations. My Department works closely with them in this regard.
Last year Ireland secure a Nitrates Derogation covering the years 2022 - 2025. However as part of the European Commission’s Implementing Decision granting Ireland that Derogation, additional conditionality was included by the Commission. This Conditionality included the requirement to conduct a two-year review of water quality, this year.
This review must compare water quality data for 2021 and 2022. Where this data shows that there are polluted waters, or waters at risk of pollution that are not showing signs of improvement, or where worsening trends have occurred over this period, the maximum stocking rate limit for derogation farms must be reduced from 250kg to 220kg livestock manure nitrogen per hectare from 2024 onwards. The Environment Protection Agency is currently working to provide the water quality data that will be used in this review.
As part of the current NAP the scope of some existing measures was broadened, other measures were expanded and a number of new measures were introduced to drive improvements in water quality.
In addition to working on the interim review of the NAP which is due to take place this year, I have asked my officials to engage further with the European Commission with the objective of seeking flexibility from them on the two-year water quality review with a view to giving existing measures more time to demonstrate their impact. However, there is no guarantee that there will be a change to the Commission's Implementing Decision as it stands.
I will do all in my power to secure the Nitrates Derogation into the future as it plays an important role in supporting productive family farming in Ireland.
