Mr. Bill Callanan:

Senator Lombard challenged me on that on the issue of west Cork. I understand the challenge regarding availability of land. Number two, farmers will naturally move towards outsourcing the rearing of heifers, etc., to minimise that load and focus in particular on cows. Number three is the export of slurry and manures off the holding and the opportunity of linkages with tillage, for example. I have advocated for that; I chair a biomethane strategy working group. I see the likes of anaerobic digestion as having a potential role in this area at co-op level to facilitate the use of surplus manure in particular areas such as generating heat and energy and managing nutrients, if it has to move. I appreciate that there are costs associated with all of those but there are options. I accept some farmers would then be restricted when it is solely cows and, for example, not keeping any replacements, etc. We have to put it in the context that there are options for farmers. I appreciate that it is not as attractive as them saying they want to do it within their own holding and with their own farm; I accept that but we must be clear. I will give the committee an example. There are approximately 7,000 to 7,500 farmers in derogation in this country. There are 6,500 who are over 170, but not in derogation. They do that through the alternative measures I mentioned, whether that is moving slurry or securing temporary land, etc. They are not in derogation, even though they are over 170.

In the review two years ago, we moved to avoid a situation in which it was advantageous to a farmer to avoid derogation and have lesser conditionality on them. We deliberately moved to avoid that. It has always been our position that we would prefer a farmer over 170 to apply for derogation, to make it available and make them understand the additional conditionality of it. Two years ago, we moved to avoid that difference between the two. There are many farmers who farm above 170 outside of derogation, just as much as there are farmers in derogation. As I said, our history has been that derogation farmers are most engaged. They are involved in training and open days, etc., in terms of water quality; they will attend and they will be first at the door. Deputy Collins identified the additional things being done. Let us be honest about it: the use of trailing shoe technology was required first of derogation farmers and nobody else. They started the journey in low-emission slurry spreading as a requirement. There are now requirements for soil sampling, attending training and biodiversity action. There are many additional requirements for which they voluntarily signed up.