Johnny Mythen (Wexford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for appearing before us. It is nice to meet Ms Dubsky again. From what the witnesses are telling us, stock reduction is the answer. That seems to be the theme. It is easily said but it is not easily done because many small farmers will be under fierce pressure. Farming organisations appeared before us last week and gave examples where, under the derogation, a farmer with 75 cattle wound up with 59. In reality, he cannot rear his family on that. That is the seriousness of it. We have to strike a balance. Of course, water quality is of the utmost importance and every farmer recognises that, because if he does not have good quality on his land, everything will go downhill. We recognise that but it is about how to balance that. The Slaney and the Barrow catchment is in my area. If the witnesses are telling me that even if 50% is reduced there, it is not enough, what does that mean for farmers? The witnesses did not take on the first two questions. I know that is difficult economically but we have to face that fact as well. We have to get the facts about how this is going to affect people because we are talking about people's incomes. It is what we do in this country and it is what we do very well. If the witnesses had a magic wand tomorrow morning and we told them you cannot reduce the stock, would there be an alternative way to reduce nitrogen?