Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 14 February 2024

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion

Mr. John Murphy:

Of course, but the EPA is the official statutory body to report on these issues and it does not recognise those figures coming from those bodies, so that is an issue for us. There is an issue of confidence. We are not going to lose the derogation. This country is not heavily stocked with livestock. It is not heavily stocked with people either. It is not a densely populated livestock country as a whole, so there is no reason we cannot hold on to our derogation. It has been stated several times previously. It is a unique climate and a unique grass-based system, so as regards the idea that we have something special from the Commission, we have what is special. We have the climate and we have position to be able to hold on to this derogation and stock it at a higher level.

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