Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Senator Craughwell.

I acknowledge also his contribution on the "RTÉ Investigates" programme last night. It was a shocking affair. It really was terrible to see the treatment of the animals. It brought into question how that entire industry works. It was terrible viewing for anyone who had the opportunity to watch it. It is important the Minister comes out, and I acknowledge his statement this morning, but we need to ascertain how regulation failed here and how this operation happened. I do not want to prejudge anything, but it looked absolutely shocking and I welcome the investigation.

The main reason for my standing is to request a debate on where we are going given the new EPA report published this week on water quality. It gave figures showing there is no significant improvement in water quality. This comes off the back of the significant work done by the farming community in the past three or four years in particular. There have been 33 or 34 different measures brought forward by derogation farmers. There was a reduction in chemical nitrogen by more than 30% in the past 24 months alone and unfortunately water quality still has not improved. There is need for significant debate on how we can actually improve the water quality here and how long it will take to so. Is it a quick fix? Can we just turn of the tap and have it solved straight away or is it going to take a period of time for nitrates levels in the water to decline? My major fear here is that we could have an industry destroyed while we are reducing the nitrates in the water. We are seeing there is going to be literally a billion fewer litres of milk produced this year, with the knock-on effect of there being roughly €500 million less going around the rural economy. This is becoming part of a real narrative that rural Ireland is under pressure because of environmental impacts regarding water quality in particular. I am fearful of where industry is going to go, I am fearful of where our co-operative movement is going to go and I am fearful of where our rural environment is going to regarding the economic impact of this. It is important we have a debate with the Minister about this issue to ensure he has a vision to meet our standards themselves and more importantly to protect our industry, which needs to be protected.