Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 5 July 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Ireland's Water Quality: Discussion

Mr. Bill Callanan:

We are very open as to what is the best approach to this but we have been very open in terms of its content. The content of the map was out on Twitter before the meeting was over, I think. It got a lot of exposure. It was subject to three sessions at the Moorepark dairy day in terms of explaining it and understanding it. We had invited the EPA to come directly to the working group last Thursday to better explain how the criteria work in terms of the calculation of the map. There certainly is an education process in understanding the implications of the map. That will have to engage because, as identified, we already have to embark on an overall review of water quality this summer as well as an interim review of the nitrates action programme to be delivered by the end of September. Within that process we will invest heavily in consultation and collaboration with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in respect of that process of an understanding on the part of farmers. Certainly, at the likes of the dairy day - and I was there yesterday-----

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