Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

——does not know that, God help us. The Deputy's second point relates to one of a series of statements made by Dr. Cross who did say everything in this directive was agronomically sound. The Deputy asked the length of time it would take for a derogation. I was absolutely confident we would be able to obtain this derogation within a rapid timescale until the latest issue arose. I will have to take whatever science comes from Teagasc on this issue. If there is any equivocation about it, it will not be helpful to farming. I hope the temporary suspension of Part 3 will be a matter of weeks not months. If Teagasc can produce robust science we will go back to the Commission and deal with it at that stage. I am not prepared to tolerate undue delays which will put the derogation under threat. The Deputy, as a spokesperson on agriculture, will agree that particularly on the nitrates side the number one priority must be to get the derogation increased from 170 kg to 250 kg, because otherwise one would be arguing a case for damaging a huge number of farmers, particularly in dairying.

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