Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I wish to address the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine officials first. The derogation was a topic of discussion this morning with the EPA. I am glad to hear the Department officials are setting expectations with the farmers and setting down what is required and what will be required of them going forward, and providing the supports to do that. Regarding the recent derogation and the reduction in nitrates, there would appear to have been no preparation whatsoever provided to the farming community by the Department. There was no guidance or indication to farmers that this was coming down the road, even though there was a general consensus that everyone knew it was going to happen but, from a policy perspective, it was like putting your head in the sand. The reduction in inseminations did not happen and now farmers are facing difficult decisions next year. Do the Department officials think that the reductions being put on the farming community now will be sufficient for us to meet the conditions of Europe for 2025 or is there a risk that we will be in the exact same position again in a year or year and a half, where Europe is requiring further reductions in nitrates and the Government and Department have not identified that in sufficient time and not put plans and supports in place in time for farmers to be able to deal with it?

My next question is on the septic tank grant and it is for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage officials. It is welcome and important, but did they look to expand it? Obviously, the ideal situation is that households do not have septic tanks but are on the mains because septic tanks will always have inherent risks associated with them. Have the officials looked at expanding that grant to accessing water mains? It is incredibly expensive to get onto Uisce Éireann’s water system if a person currently has a septic tank and wants to connect to it.