Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

That is the direction I want to go in and not how we got here because I think many people are aware of how we got to this situation. It is not a surprise because we have seen that trend in deteriorating water quality. Many of the NGOs, which come in for a lot of criticism, such as The Sustainable Water Network, SWAN, and An Taisce, etc., have highlighted this for many years. The Commission has received the report that proves a lot of what was being commented on and warned against for many years. What is the pathway to maintain farming in areas that are difficult? What level of assistance is required for farmers to adjust to this change over the next few years and over the next five to ten to 15 years? If our water quality does not improve, the next Minister for agriculture will stand in front of the next EU Commissioner and asking to keep the 220 kg N/ha though water quality has not improved. I do not want to end up in that situation for farmers; I want actions to be in place to allow them to be viable and to protect our water quality so we can go back to Europe and say we took these actions and to show the proof. It is a win-win for everybody. What are the Minister's views? I have only left him two and a half minutes.