Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will just make a few points before I go back to the witnesses to allow them to sum up. This report is going to be critical to this argument. "Argument" is probably the wrong word. It is a battle to save our derogation. The methodology the EPA has used to compile this report will have to be subject to some more scrutiny. I do not expect the officials to pass comment on this because it would not be a fair question to ask but if we take the way water in estuaries is measured, I understand the EPA has used the winter median method, which is a far more severe method of measuring water quality in estuaries. Averages are used throughout the report. An increase of 0.2 mg/l is taken to indicate a deterioration of water quality whereas the EU states that a variation of 1 mg/l indicates that water quality is stable. That interpretation is five times more severe than that used by the Commission.

I suggest that we invite the EPA before the committee. I know we have only one week left in the term but I suggest we invite the EPA in the week after, when the Dáil is in recess, to discuss the compilation of this report and the methodologies it has used and to have a very frank exchange, such as we have had with the Department this evening, on this report because it is going to be critical in our battle to secure our derogation.

As Senator Lombard has said and as Mr. Callanan has referred to, there is a four-member committee in the Commission that will be interpreting the case we put forward. I suggest that, as an Oireachtas committee, we invite that committee before us. If we get the privilege of that committee coming before us, we could organise to show the members the improvements made in the regulation of our derogation farmers and that those regulations will bear fruit fairly quickly. The point Senator Lombard made about Timoleague is really a case in point. There is a very serious concentration of farmers with derogations there and the water quality is improving very significantly.

I did not want to be too argumentative when Mr. Callanan made a point earlier. He talked about dairy farmers taking up land to outrear their heifers. He was talking about land that is probably farmed extensively at the moment, and bringing it into an intensive farming situation. That will bring its own issues.

I thank the officials, who have taken a long series of questions from members today. I made a fairly long-winded speech at the outset of the meeting. As I said, I accept fully there is an environmental argument we have to win here, but the economic consequences for our country are huge. It could do very severe damage to our dairy industry. As I mentioned earlier and Deputy Healy-Rae said a moment ago, not so long ago we were investing heavily in the sector. There was investment and grant aids were provided by Government for farm restructuring and at processing level. From my point of view, it will be disastrous for the rural economy if we are not able to maintain our derogation. I am repeating myself, but even the cost of processing milk will increase very significantly, which will hinder the ability of processors to pay a milk price to dairy farmers, whether they are in derogation or not. At that, I will conclude the discussion if the committee is in agreement that we proceed in the manner I have outlined. Agreed.