Mr. Bill Callanan:

I will deal with a couple of questions. I concur fundamentally. There is no doubt that there is fatigue among farmers in terms of that criticism. I certainly do not want to add to that. I also have to be direct and honest with farmers in terms of the changing environment. If the derogation is to be secured in 2025, the application for which is principally a matter for Government, we have to be in the best possible position for that discussion. We have to be conscious of that. While everybody is criticising the 250 to 220, in terms of our engagement with the Commission, we need to be looking at this from 170 to 220 and not the other way round. In the interests of avoiding misunderstanding, I acknowledge that farmers are adopting new technologies. Some impact on climate and some impact on water. The issue of protecting urea is solely a climate matter, and not a water quality one. It does not reduce the overall load in terms of nutrient. I want to be clear on that. It is similar with less equipment. Farmers have adopted it. My most recent figures show that approximately 5,000 farmers have adopted it, but that is principally about ammonia. Ammonia is reduced through the use of low-emission slurry spreading. Because of its availability for use and the ability to graze quite quickly afterwards, this is also displacing chemical fertiliser.

The overall usage through low emission slurry equipment is valuable in terms of displacing chemicals, which would have an impact on water, but not directly in and of itself. I invite Deputy Michael Collins to look at the map on page 6 showing mean nitrate concentrations in groundwater. I am not here to challenge the Deputy's facts in terms of sewage and Mr. Flynn may attest to that but were the Deputy to looks at all of those nitrates concentrations in groundwater, they are predominantly inland, subject to those wastewater issues the Deputy is talking about. It is very hard to get away from it predominantly being, from a nitrate point of view, agriculturally-driven. If it is phosphorous, however, there are multiple pressures which include urban wastewater, septic tanks and agriculture. It is a very much different water pressure arising in that regard but nitrate in groundwater is predominantly agricultural. That has always been the science associated with that.