Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I absolutely agree with the Deputy regarding the vilification of farmers. It is wrong. If we are to have a proper debate on climate change, which is real and happening and will be very real for every person, then vilifying one sector will not allow that. It is wrong and I agree with the Deputy that everybody has to shoulder the burden here.

The Minister, Deputy McConalogue, deals daily with the issues raised by the Deputy. Earlier this year, he established the agriculture water quality working group, which involves key stakeholders from across the agrifood sector. The group has several aims, including to improve awareness of the impact individual actions can have on water quality, to improve farmer compliance with existing rules and to consider what new measures should be introduced to drive improvements in water quality.

The Government continues to support improvement in overall water quality through a number of other measures, including the extension and expansion of the agricultural sustainability support and advisory programme; measures under the eco-scheme and ACRES to reduce nutrient losses and further limit chemical nitrogen use as part of the CAP strategic plan; a water quality European innovation partnership launched by the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, this year, with a value of €60 million over the next five years; accelerated capital allowances for farmers investing in manure storage; and proposed changes to TAMS grant aid for farmers investing in manure storage.

The Minister is engaging directly with the Commission on the implementing decision. We all agree it is essential that we and farmers have absolute clarity on recent reports on the possibility of delaying implementation. That matter will be the focus of Commissioner Sinkevičius' visit this week and the Minister will be stressing to him directly the critical importance of retaining the nitrates derogation after 2026.

I will highlight some of the wonderful projects being developed by farmers that were on display during the National Ploughing Championships. These are on-farm solutions to reducing emissions that are being supported through Enterprise Ireland from my Department. Everybody working together can assist on this. The Deputy can rest assured the meeting with Commission Sinkevičius on Thursday will have this issue at its heart and the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, will be bringing directly to him the message the Deputy has passed on this evening.

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