Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Herlihy and Mr. Cullinan for their comprehensive opening statements. We pride ourselves on our green image. Water quality is essential for us. We had a long session this morning with the EPA from which it was clear that, in spite of a significant increase in dairy cow numbers since 2015, water quality has not disimproved. That is an important statement.

Looking at some of the maps put before us and the logical imbalance in them, the information that is on the table needs to be reassessed in order to ensure that we make decisions which will have a beneficial impact on water quality. As has been said at this session and this morning's, derogation farmers, especially, have taken on a lot of measures to ensure practices on their farms mitigate the chances of impinging on water quality greatly. The argument those restrictions or regulations have to be given time to show their impact on water quality is a significant one.

Senator Lombard made the point this morning that Timoleague has the highest density of derogation farmers in the country and that area, with the high monitoring going on there, is showing a significant improvement in water quality. That shows when stocking rate is regulated, with various new technologies employed and restrictions on spreading of slurry, etc., it is not having an impact on water quality and that water quality can actually improve despite an area having significant levels of stock.

At a previous meeting on the nitrates, we discussed the huge economic impact on the industry, not only in the context of the cost of processing but also that relating to family farms. This frightens me. We have to get water quality right. That is paramount, but the average age of dairy farmers is 59. If we expect young people to take over family farms and the first thing they see is that they will be forced to reduce stock numbers, that will be a serious disincentive. As Mr. Cullinan said, unfortunately it would make many family farms unviable, which would be a disaster for the family farm structure and the economic viability of rural Ireland.

We have had a number of sessions on this in the past couple of weeks. Assessing the data the EPA has put together, there can be different correct interpretations put on it. When we examine the data in detail, we can clearly put forward a concrete case that stocking rate is not a determining factor when it comes to water quality and that there are other factors at play.

Mr. Herlihy spoke about slurry storage. Can he expand a bit on what he means? We will have to face up to whether the closed period for slurry needs to be looked at again and remodelled if we are serious about improving water quality. Again, doing that will bring a very significant expense at a farm level. Farmers have shown in the past that when they see the benefit of investing in their farmyard they are definitely not shy to do it. As politicians, we can see the economic side of this and the huge impact it will have on our rural constituencies. As I said, we all want to see water quality improving. It is in all of our interests. In my view, and I am very stringent on this, we can do that without having an impact on farming productivity. Mr. Herlihy made a point about the time lag for implementing the improvements. It is hugely important that we give the technology we have embraced time to work.

There will probably be some specific questions for the witnesses now. If Senator Paul Daly has his phone quietened down, he may go ahead.