Peter Callanan (Fianna Fail)

I join with other speakers in welcoming the Minister, Deputy Roche, to the House. It is my first opportunity to take part in a debate here which he has attended. I am delighted to have such an opportunity. I congratulate him on the excellent work he is doing at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, which includes the nitrates directive. The Minister's responsibility is great and we trust that he is more than up to the job. I was going to refer to the 1996 signing off on this matter by the former Deputy, Ivan Yates, the former Minister, Deputy Howlin, and the farming organisations. There is no need for me to do so, however, because the Minister has already dealt with it.

I can agree with many of the things that Senator Bradford said. He will be aware, as I am, that we on Cork County Council engaged successfully with the farming organisations on the introduction of a pilot scheme concerning the nitrates directive to protect water in the region. We undertook that scheme collectively. Senator Bradford and I are both aware of the ill-effects caused by algal bloom in the River Lee. The Government amendment contains a very nice word "eutrophication", which I now know means nutrient enrichment and pollution. We are aware of the consequences of water pollution.

The EPA, Teagasc and the farming organisations were involved in the project. A scheme was put together which was helpful. However, farmers have been somewhat wronged by this motion. It is unfair, of no use or help to them, and is to their disadvantage. Farmers were also criticised by those who spoke in favour of the amendment and against the motion. Those who spoke in this manner may not have done so for the sake of being critical but because they did not know the facts.

The use of chemical fertiliser has been reducing over the past ten years. The cost of fertiliser over those years has gone through the roof, and the advice from Teagasc has been to farm to a level of requirement. That is a fact of life. Moreover, going on revised advice from Teagasc, nitrogen and phosphate usage has reduced by 40% since 1995. There is no doubt that the use of phosphates was more than liberal on some farms and that the use of nitrogen on some farms was over-liberal. Cost factors are helping to bring that into line, as will the nitrates directive.

I hope I will be forgiven for singling out Senator Dardis. He is a man of great competence. Before I ever heard of him I remember reading him in The Farmers Journal, when he was writing on agricultural matters. He was always a leading agriculturist. One could listen to his advice, take it and always know it was good. However, I must disagree with him tonight. I too am in favour of clean water and a clean environment, but I am also in favour of farming. I do not think Senator Dardis meant what he said.