Johnny Mythen (Wexford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I hear what Dr. McGoff is saying but we must balance humanity and nature and something has to give. If we are saying nitrogen is as bad as the witnesses are saying it is and if they are saying it must be reduced even more than it is already being reduced by in high catchment areas, what do we do? We see what is happening to farmers across all of Europe, and the nature restoration law is coming in, which states that 20% of European land has to be restored to nature by 2030. This is a very short timeframe so this is coming down the line as well. We are a farming community so we must balance things. Farmers feel they are under fierce pressure and cannot cope at the moment. The witnesses said the situation is too complicated. How do we make that easier because the two must work in tandem? I am more concerned about smaller farmers because it is like everything else. Like big businesses, big farmers will survive but the average or medium farmer in Ireland will not and that is what we are facing.

Has Coastwatch had much engagement with the Department or any of the farming bodies? What are the biggest obstacles when it comes to compliance and enforcement of the nitrates rule changes in 2024? The Slaney catchment area is in my county. It is very high and I do not know how people are going to cope with change. It is very worrying. The witnesses said false promises were given to farmers in the south and south east, which is my area. What were these false promises and who made them?