Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The issue of nitrates derogation came up. I understand the Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries has been invited to Ireland by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, to learn about the dairy sector. I understand he has accepted that invitation. I ask that we go further and bring the Commissioner, with the Taoiseach, if he wishes, to west Cork. It is one of the areas most impacted by the new nitrates rules, nitrates derogation and the reduction to 220kg N/ha. There has been incredible work happening in the Timoleague catchment area and 15 years of research undertaken by Teagasc, where it has shown and demonstrated that measures like low-emission spreading and soil management work in terms of reducing the amount of nitrates going into our water systems. When the Commissioner comes to Ireland, can that invitation be extended to bring him to west Cork to see the incredible work going on?

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