Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

My first question is probably for Mr. Flynn. Do we know for sure whether the inorganic nitrogen output of soils is directly correlated with the end concentration in rivers?

Turning to Mr. Callanan, there are farmers on derogation who have 500 to 700 cows. Was there any attempt to try to protect farmers with smaller herds, for example, 100 cows? We hear of farmers who have to go from 80 cows down to 60. Banding came in this year and now this will be implemented. It will put pressure on land. There is no point in saying it will not. The Minister of State with responsibility for forestry did not know what was happening in forestry, so no tree is being planted. If trees start being planted again, pressure will increase and there will be a woeful grab for land, with some people trying to rewet, others trying to sow trees and others trying to cover themselves in terms of banding and the derogation. The pressures on land will be ferocious. We are not making any more of it, after all. Did the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine speak to the Commission about trying to protect what I would call the family farm to some extent?

Turning back to Mr. Flynn, has this report been analysed, for example, where samples were taken from? Can we get that information? I see from the map where there is phosphorous. I see that Galway is pretty good as a county in general, but I also see that there a couple of spots. I would love to know where they are and whether there is a reason for them. Is there more information we can get? Looking at a map is grand, but there is not even a townland on it. Can all of that information be sourced and do we have access to it? What methodology was used?

I am involved in a group water scheme. Due to EU standards, the quality of the water going into houses now is different than it was 15 or 20 years ago. Are we saying that, although the quality level was good then, the requirement is so high now that the old level would not be good today?

Is that a problem or is it being taken into account?