Mr. Bill Callanan:

I fully agree with the Senator in terms of the engagement of the sector. We published a plan, Water and Agriculture: A Collaborative Approach, which identified exactly the three pillars I mentioned earlier: some element of regulation in terms of what we are doing, an element of incentive and supports such as a free advisory service. The EIP is built on that and also on using the likes of the EPA maps to identify the right action in the right place, etc. I agree there is now a cohesion and a collectiveness in terms of improving water quality, as well as education of farmers on what is necessary and what should be done. We all have a part to play in that.

Government policy is to secure a continuation of the derogation and my job is to ensure delivery of that. We must comply with a more granular habitats assessment and there will be outcomes to that. Realistically, the scale of that work will not be delivered by 1 January, and we have been clear and consistent in that regard. It requires the development of a plan for a process of how to do it. The Minister has been clear in articulating that as we work our way through the various catchments, there is a need for equity, which means ensuring some farmers are not disadvantaged by being early movers in that assessment. It should be that we complete all assessments and then it would apply to all farmers equally, fairly and at the same time. That has been the Minister's direction in this regard.

That will take some time and it is not easy. For example, even an appropriate assessment or an assessment on a forestry licence takes six months. We are talking about a much bigger scale and a larger area across the country. We propose doing it at catchment level rather than farm level. We have an outline of how that will be built, which is identifying the source, the pathway and the impacted habitat. It is looking at all three aspects. That will take some time. I cannot give the Senator a definitive timeline. It is subject to scoping out and agreement with the Commission over the next number of months in terms of the time period. Realistically, it cannot be delivered by 1 January and we have been clear with everybody about that. We would prefer to do this correctly and properly as opposed to in a rushed manner.