Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Private Members' motion proposed by Deputy Michael Creed and the Fine Gael Party which states the Government should take all necessary steps to extend the deadline for completion of works under the farm waste management scheme to 30 June 2009 and that the Government should ensure that all payments due are paid in line with commitments outlined in the farmers' charter of rights.

The original statutory instrument under which this scheme was devised was issued by the Government on behalf of the EU is SI No. 788 of 2005, also known as the European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2005 and more commonly known as the nitrates directive. This has some interesting content in that it does not mention dates other than that the aim of the water framework directive is to prevent any deterioration in the existing status of our waters, including the protection of good and high status where it exists, and to ensure that all waters are restored to at least good status by 2015.

Surely an extension of six months to finish this scheme would allow work to be completed in a quality manner. An extension of six months would dramatically reduce the possibility of buildings literally being thrown up for which we may pay dearly in the years to come.

In my constituency of Clare if one takes the rainfall for this year as measured by the official Met Éireann station at Shannon Airport one can see that by the middle of October, with two and a half months left to record, we have already experienced a 10% increase on 2007. To date we have had 1,010.5 mm of rainfall. The total annual rainfall for 2007 recorded at the same station was 921.5 mm.

Many capital projects including roads, hospitals and housing undertaken on behalf of the Government include a force majeure clause. The Minister, for reasons of environmental improvement and maintaining construction employment should introduce a clause such as this as outlined in the text of the motion and allow the scheme conclude naturally.

Of all the sectors that impact on water quality, the agriculture sector has done the most to clean up its act in recent years. This has been acknowledged in reports from the EPA. It would be a pity if this commitment to good practice would not be acknowledged for the want of a six month extension.

The Government has been tardy in its responsibility for improvement of water quality here. We have many villages, towns and urban centres with inadequate sewage treatment facilities. We have been fined and warned by the EU because of this tardiness. The Water Services Act 2007 which outlines the Government's commitment and responsibility towards the improvement of water quality contains many ambiguities and attempts to transfer the responsibilities to other bodies. The farm waste management scheme has seen 42,200 farmers step up to the plate and commit to environmental improvements. At this stage, we should not run the risk of undoing the good work done to date.

The Government has never been slow to seek derogation from Europe when it is required. This issue stands out from a purely common sense point of view as one that should enjoy the same type of Government commitment shown in the extension and reintroduction of various construction tax breaks. I urge the Minister to accept the terms of this motion and go to Dublin Airport, possibly on his bicycle, pay the €10 air tax recently imposed, and look for this derogation from Europe.

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