Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I, too, ask for a debate on the nitrates directive and the change in those nitrates, as Deputy Healy-Rae did. The Government is being dishonest with farmers and unfair. Above all, we need honesty and certainty, as they do. The thought of slaughtering 40,000 in-calf cows and heifers is appalling, as is forcing farmers into that situation. The Taoiseach's party used to be the party that represented farmers and now everybody just demonises them. Why does the Government not call the EPA to account to look after the pollution that is coming from public authorities and systems throughout the country, including the village I live in, which has no system whatsoever, and other industrial pollution?

Farmers have become an easy target for people in the House and everywhere. Irish farmers are clean and have made huge investments in mitigating issues but they are not getting the time to see them realised. It is an easy, cheap trick to blame the farmers. When people are hungry for food, then they will know what will happen. We need a full debate on this foolish derogation that will take place in January. We only have two weeks left so we need a debate on it.

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