Jim Higgins (Fine Gael)

Farmers and farming organisations were pleased and relieved yesterday with the announcement that Teagasc had come up with sound scientific evidence showing that the nitrates directive, which would impose a limit of 170 kg. per hectare, is unduly restrictive. It also claimed that this country would be more appropriately served and could environmentally sustain a 250 kg. limit. This is vitally important. The Minister for Agriculture and Food should address this as a matter of urgency and should go back to Brussels to make the strongest possible case to have the limit increased to 250 kg, as Teagasc have at long last produced sound scientific evidence to sustain such a case.