Mr. Bernard Harris:

It is important to recognise that all farmers, of both extensive and intensive farms, have a key role in protecting water quality, whether that is from a nitrogen or a phosphorous perspective. Nitrates have been increasing in the south and the south east but there are many contributing factors. Soil type, the climate and weather events have key roles in that area. There is a correlation but I might refer to a key example, which I am sure the EPA went through. Within the Barrow-Nore-Suir catchment, 85% of nitrogen loss comes from agriculture. It is estimated, however, that 30% of that comes from tillage area. There is a combination effect from all sectors around this and it is not all from the intensive livestock sector. We have to look at this as a whole across farming.