Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As much as that is an answer to the issue, the witnesses have made such a big deal about the ammonia issue all the way through this meeting and have not acknowledged there has been much investment and change, whether through targeted agriculture modernisation schemes, TAMS, investment in the past five years or changes in the nitrates directive to make sure that 100% of slurry is being drilled into the ground instead of being splash plated. My key point is there was no acknowledgement of the major changes in the agricultural system.

Can I ask about the water quality issue? This is a bone of contention in rural Ireland. It really is, because we have villages and towns all over us. I will give the example of Belgooly which is 2.5 miles outside of Kinsale, where there is a direct pipe straight into the river. This is the sin of sins. This is what we have in rural Ireland. Cork County Council makes sure farmers stick to a nitrates regime, which they do, and on the other side, local authorities and Irish Water are doing what they want to do. The biggest frustration I see in rural Ireland is not over-intensification of agriculture, it is the lack of investment in waste water. That is the sin of the entire issue.