Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I mentioned the correlation between stocking numbers when we were finishing up previously; we just ran out of time. I accept the point about the different flow and everything but with the previous derogation - I am possibly blinkered on this at times because I am a farmer - we had a mid-term review done in 2023 that resulted in people being reduced from a derogation of 250 kg N/ha to 220 kg N/ha or whatever. The nitrates content of the water was then up. That would nearly say to me there was no correlation between stocking densities and water quality. The figures are there. The EPA has almost proved a point that maybe it did not intend to prove. The officials might comment on that.

My next question was kind of answered in response to Deputy Aird. I know civil servants do not do politics but, going forward from here, who puts what proposal to the Commission? Where does science end and politics begin, or vice versa, in the final decision being made on this? I am asking this based on the officials' experience in 2010. I know they will not break the mould of civil servants saying politicians do politics and they do-----