Mr. Denis Drennan:

The one thing we would like to emphasise is that the Department asked Teagasc to do report in the summer of 2021 on the most efficient ways to reduce nitrates in the water. The two most significant and advantageous measures found were a cut in chemical nitrogen and increased enforcement. Both of these measures have been introduced this year. There has been a 10% cut in chemical nitrogen this year. We have an agricultural catchment programme that is better than anything in Europe, which looks at the effects of a reduction of chemical nitrogen. Eddie Burgess runs it on behalf of Teagasc. He and Teagasc say the rules and regulations introduced this year on increased enforcement and a reduction in chemical nitrogen will take 18 to 24 months to show results. We are being judged on them now. New measures have been introduced that will take 18 to 24 months to work but we are not being given this time. This is what we are pleading for. The rules and regulations that have been introduced because they were deemed by Teagasc as being the most effective are not being given the opportunity to work. We are being prejudged on them.