Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

The implementation of the nitrates directive is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The Minister, Deputy Roche, sent proposals to the European Commission in May for amendments to the regulations he made in December 2005 giving legal effect to Ireland's nitrates action programme. The new proposals, which the Minister, Deputy Roche, has outlined publicly, were developed in conjunction with my Department and with the input of Teagasc. They address a range of important issues identified by submission and raised by the farming bodies.

There have since been direct discussions and other contacts between officials of Departments, Teagasc and the Commission. I understand that those discussions are close to being concluded successfully. I am satisfied that the outcome will be of major benefit to Irish farmers in that the changes being discussed with the Commission will provide them with greater flexibility in complying with fertiliser limits and will simplify certain aspects of the regulations. The changes, when agreed with the Commission, are likely to recognise that farmers in REPS are already farming to a high environmental standard. They will also provide an essential breathing space for the pig and poultry sectors, giving them extra time to adapt and to explore alternative ways of dealing with the manure produced on their holdings.

Once the discussions on the regulations are concluded, my priority is to proceed with negotiations on a derogation to allow certain farmers to operate, under appropriate conditions and controls, up to a level of 250 kg of organic nitrogen per hectare. The derogation proposal was given an initial presentation to the EU nitrates committee in December 2005 and there were bilateral discussions with the Commission in January, but no further progress was possible while the regulations were under review. The proposal will have to be discussed further at future meetings of the nitrates committee before approval can be obtained.

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