Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 13 October 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Nitrates Directive, Water Quality and Pollution: Discussion

Mr. Jack Nolan:

The figure is 11,500 or 12,000 and it will go up this year. As Mr. Harris mentioned, every farmer has a role to play irrespective of the soil type concerned. In the west, south and south east, for example, we are finding there are problems with phosphorus. The measures are targeted towards intensive farmers. For example, intensive farmers have to fence the watercourse and have compulsory use of lime, compulsory soil sampling and compulsory nutrient management planning. There is a tighter net around them and they have a 5% rate of inspection compared with a 1% chance of inspection for non-derogation farmers.