Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I assure the Minister the farmers I know best want to work with him. They want to work in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly way. They too want to ensure our water courses are protected. It is in their interest. What they do not want to happen is to see themselves penalised for the activity of sectors outside of the agri-sector. We will have to find a better way to manage and monitor what happens on-farm rather than trying to do it on a regional or a national basis. Other industries have a negative impact on water, whether it be the forestry sector or other areas. There is no guarantee that a reduction in the maximum stocking density to 220 will improve water quality. Farmers will continue to adopt measures that protect water quality. However, this must not be based on the blanket regulatory approach but on the right measures in the right place at the right time principle, which has been shown to deliver improvements in water quality. Farmers are up for it. They have shown their commitment in the past. They need the commitment shown today by the Minister to continue, as I know it will, based on my knowledge of how he does business. We need to take that fight to Brussels and bring home the bacon.