Mr. Jack Nolan:

We need behavioural change on farms. Somebody referred earlier to the levels of compliance and we need farmers to do this because they understand it will save them money and protect the environment. It should not be because they think somebody from the Department or the local authority will arrive for them. All the proposed measures here and in the current programme are based on science. Based on Teagasc research, up to 100 kg/ha of nitrogen or two bags of urea per acre could be saved from being applied on grassland on dairy farms. That would definitely have a major impact on water quality. I said earlier we genuinely believe if the package of measures we are discussing is implemented on farms, we will see the trend in water quality stabilise and start to improve.