Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)

I offer my congratulations to the new Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food, Deputy Mary Wallace. It is interesting that the only mention of women in the run-up to the latest appointments of Ministers of State was in the context of demotion rather than promotion. This is indicative of the fact that journalists are sometimes badly wrong.

While I am not an expert on agriculture, in meetings with farmers I have been impressed by their compelling argument on the issue of nitrates. Teagasc must act in accordance with scientific evidence and the specified limits. Will the nitrates limits give rise to difficulties regarding the use of animal waste and waste from local authority treatment plants? Several years ago, problems arose regarding the means of disposing of rendered meat and bonemeal. Will similar problems occur as a result of the advice Teagasc issues to farmers on the use of animal waste and waste from local authority treatment plants?

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