Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Before I open the floor to questions from members, I will say that this is an extremely important report. It will be the basis for decisions that will be made as regards the agriculture industry. The compiling of the report, the way the statistics have been put together and the interpretation of those statistics will be extremely important. I have read the report. We are often guilty of not reading the documentation that comes before us but I have read and scrutinised this report.

The disclaimer the EPA has included at the start of the report makes me very uneasy. It states:

Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the material contained in this publication, complete accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Neither the Environmental Protection Agency nor the author(s) accept any responsibility whatsoever for loss or damage occasioned, or claimed to have been occasioned, in part or in full as a consequence of any person acting or refraining from acting, as a result of a matter contained in this publication. All or part of this publication may be reproduced without further permission, provided the source is acknowledged.

As I said, this report will be the basis for arguments on derogation by our officials and Ministers in Brussels. We will see what the results of those arguments on derogation will be. Various further restrictions may be put in place as regards farming practice etc. Straight away, however, the EPA has stated that any inaccurate information in this report is not its responsibility. As I said, I have scrutinised this report. I will ask other questions later but I would like Dr. Cotter to comment on the disclaimer in the report, which is so important for our economy and water quality. How can the EPA stand over including this disclaimer at the start of the report?