John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael)

Again, that comes into the sequencing of the additional regulations that I deal with in the previous question. It was a priority to be able to bring forward the aspect relating to slurry storage and animal housing as a result of the impact in the context of our nitrates derogation. It was a priority of the Government, and it is also a priority as one of the actions out of the collaborative report done last year, to bring forward stand-alone slurry storage. This is why I am acting to bring forward these regulations in advance of the others. It was a high priority for the Government that it be able to bring them forward. As I indicated a couple of weeks ago, I then intend to bring forward a series of thematic exemptions, the first of those being domestic exemptions. My officials are engaged in extensive work in that regard. I want to put on record my thanks to all the team. They are working night and day on these.