David Norris (Independent)

This information is from Teagasc. Approximately half the agricultural land in Ireland is saturated with phosphorus, with dangerous amounts running off and polluting rivers or remaining in the soil. Only 25% of the phosphorus that is applied is taken up by plants for nourishment, while three quarters of it is useless to the farmer and builds up in the soil where it does environmental damage as it runs off into the water table.

It is astonishing that this aspect of the directive is the one that will apparently be weakened. I appeal to the Minister not to do so. The arguments are clear — we are overusing nitrates and only 25% of them are absorbed by plants. It is almost witch-doctoring in agrarian terms. In response to the bullying that is taking place, it seems Teagasc has, in the last several weeks, revised its recommended limits for agricultural use upwards to a point where it now recommends a higher dosage than its own scientific research indicates. Here we have more of the bullying by strong lobbies, including vintners and farmers, that so bedevils good governance. Farmers are pushing our scientists into doing something which their own scientific understanding and the facts registered by them contradict.

I urge the Minister to be tough and to stand up to them. I cannot think of another person more able to do so.