Mr. Jack Nolan:

The Chair is right about the different production systems, for example, as between here and, say, Holland and Denmark. However, we brought the Commission to Ireland to visit. Officials came to see the agricultural catchments programme run by Teagasc, which involves an investment by the Department of €2.5 million a year. We brought them to see it and explained it. Two colleagues who work in that division are dealing with nitrates and rural development.

The nitrates directive sets out to prevent pollution from agriculture and reverse any negative trend that exists. It seeks co-benefits but it is not the case that if our water quality was improving, more measures would be introduced. Our water quality is in decline, so we will introduce more measures and seek to get co-benefits to ensure we get the best value out of them. It will not be the case, however, that the Commission will look at climate in Ireland and say this is an opportunity to make changes there. This is about protecting water quality and seeing what added value can be got from it.