Seán Connick (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

The implementation of the water framework directive, under which river basin management plans are being developed, is a matter for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Draft river basin management plans for each of the river basin districts were published on 22 December 2008 and were open for public consultation for six months until 22 June 2009. The draft plans provided an assessment of the status of Ireland's water bodies, proposed the environmental objectives to be achieved and suggested measures which will be required to achieve the objectives. The measures proposed in the draft plans included a range of existing measures, such as the implementation of the nitrates regulations, and a range of possible supplementary measures for consideration. The river basin management plans are due to be finalised by 30 June 2010. My Department made a detailed submission as part of the public consultation process. It has had further input, where appropriate, through its involvement in working groups established under the auspices of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. It is also represented on the water framework directive national advisory committee, which is chaired by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. From the point of view of agriculture, the nitrates regulations are the primary measures under the water framework directive in terms of improving water quality. Studies such as the EPA review of the nitrates regulations and my Department's agricultural mini-catchment programme, which is due to report from 2012, will provide information on the effectiveness of those agricultural measures in reducing pollution of water by nitrates and phosphates from agricultural sources. If these findings show there is a need for additional agricultural measures, it would be appropriate to consider them in the context of a future revision of the nitrates regulations after 2013.

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