Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

Ireland applied to the European Commission for a derogation, under the nitrates directive, from the limit of 170 kg of organic nitrogen per hectare per year. The derogation, as submitted to the Commission, would have applied not only to grassland farmers but also to farmers wishing to import pig and poultry manure. Unfortunately, this aspect of the proposal did not meet with the approval of the Commission and it did not form part of the Commission's proposal approved by the EU nitrates committee, involving the 25 member states, on 13 November.

However, producers in the pig and poultry sectors will benefit from transitional arrangements which were secured under the revised European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations introduced in July 2006. These arrangements, which allow for phosphorus limits to be exceeded until 1 January 2011 for land using pig and poultry manure from existing farming enterprises, represent a major concession and they will give these industries time to adapt to the requirements of the regulations. In addition, the Department has introduced important measures which will benefit pig and poultry producers, such as access to the generous grant aid in the farm waste management scheme, as well as the inclusion under the scheme of elements of particular relevance to the two sectors, including decanter centrifuge systems, dry feeding systems for pigs and specialised slurry spreading tankers.

I have also introduced a pilot scheme for the demonstration of on-farm waste processing facilities to support the introduction in Ireland of new and emerging technologies for the treatment of farm wastes, such as anaerobic digestion and fluidised bed combustion. Grants of up to €400,000 are available under the measure which will be of particular interest to the intensive pig and poultry sectors. A number of research projects supported by the Department in areas covering efficient nutrient use, pig diet and solid-liquid separation of pig manure will also greatly assist the farmers involved. I am proposing some changes to REPS which would incentivise farmers in the scheme to take in pig and poultry manure. Should the Commission accept my proposal, these changes will contribute significantly to a solution of the problem.

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